CHULA — Deerfield-Windsor spoiled Tiftarea Academy’s Senior Night Tuesday, pulling away late to win a pair of basketball games. The Lady Knights won, 36-17, with the Deerfield boys earning a 63-50 victory in the nightcap over the Panthers.

An 11-0 Knights run in the fourth quarter ended Tiftarea’s chances in the boys game. The Panthers had pulled as close as 46-42 in the first 90 seconds of the frame.

Mason Johnson was particularly elusive for the Knights, dropping in seven points during the stretch, before a single free throw by J.R. Walker at 2:39. Ben Smith had five late points, but Tiftarea was unable to get the deficit out of double-digits.

Early on, it seemed that Panthers would be able to shake off their earlier loss to Deerfield-Windsor, which had come in the final second.

With head coach Rob Flick starting his seniors, Walker and Smith had early baskets. Elijah Smith scored three free throws and Walker converted a steal into a layup for a 9-5 lead at 1:33.

Deerfield-Windsor got back in front midway through the second on Jake Hatcher’s trey. Fletcher Walker slipped inside to briefly tie the game at 15, but the Knights went in front 21-15. The visitors were ahead 28-20 at halftime.

The Knights stretched the lead to 14, 34-20, 40 seconds into the third quarter. Tiftarea halved that on a rally, which included a three by Ben Smith and Whit Jordan scoring on an offensive rebound.

David Hutchins’ second three-pointer of the third got it back up to 14 points’ difference, but the Panthers found another wind.

Ben Smith and Andrew Connell turned steals into points, Smith finishing off the 8-0 run with a drive to the basket at 2:35. Tiftarea closed to 42-36 there.

With 23 seconds to go in the third Deerfield clung to a 10-point lead, but were soon in trouble. Jordan blocked a shot and J.R. Walker scored on an assist by Elijah Smith to end the third. Ben Smith and J.R. Walker continued the run in the fourth to get it to 46-42, but the Knights were too hot.

Ben Smith netted 23 to lead all scorers. J.R. Walker had 14 points. Hatcher scored 18 for Deerfield-Windsor, with Johnson at 16 and Hutchins at 12.

One night earlier, the Panthers dropped a 66-65 game to Sherwood Christian. Both they and the Lady Panthers will end the regular season Friday at Brookwood.

LADY KNIGHTS 36, TIFTAREA 17

One night after a heartbreaking late loss to Sherwood Christian, the Lady Panthers kept stride with a tough Deerfield-Windsor early.

Makenna Grace Graham scored the game’s opening basket and a free throw by Maci Shoultz had them down 4-3 halfway through the first period.

The Shoultz free throw was an unusual sequence. Kate Coogle was meant to take the free throws, but officials noticed blood on her knee. Coogle quickly had a temporary fix and was back at the line, but then blood was also noticed on one of her trademark long sleeves.

Fixing the sleeves took longer, with officials instead asking for a substitute instead at the free throw line. That was Shoultz. When Coogle returned with a more formal bandage on the knee, she had also ditched the sleeves.

The Lady Knights broke out of the early close score with a 13-0 run that finished up the first and began the second frame. When Lexi Connell made two free throws to break that string, the game swung for the rest of the half to Tiftarea momentum.

Coogle hit two at the stripe, Connell posted up and Shoultz had a three-pointer for the Lady Panthers to trail 21-12 at intermission.

Tiftarea got slightly closer in the third. Holding Deerfield-Windsor to a lone field goal by Harper Coleman, Coogle scored on an offensive rebound and Kate Phillips had a free throw. Tiftarea was down only 23-15 at 3:25.

However, the Lady Knights held Tiftarea scoreless for the rest of the third, taking a 29-15 lead into the fourth. Connell had a block and a field goal in the fourth.

Connell’s six led Tiftarea. Coogle and Shoultz had four points apiece.

Against Sherwood Monday, the Lady Panthers were stung by late free throws after taking a 35-34 lead with 1:57 remaining.

Coogle had a big game with 16 points. Phillips added 10.