TIFTON – Tift County wrapped up a busy week Saturday, winning two games from the visiting Worth County Rams.

The games, the third each for the Blue Devils squads, saw the boys win, 54-46, and the Lady Devils crush Worth, 64-25.

Down by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, Tift head coach Chris Wade went to his bench for a spark. They provided it, cutting Worth’s advantage to a single point during the fame, then tying the game in the fourth.

“You never know when you might need them,” said Wade of his reserves.

Tift led 24-22 at halftime, but saw that slip away quickly in the third period.

The Rams scored the first 10 points of the quarter, six from Chris Farley whose putback of an offensive rebound gave Worth a 34-24 lead with 4:43 left.

Montavious Terrell’s three-pointer sliced the lead to seven points, but Worth returned with Navaskie Peterson’s basket. Jatorian Warren scored just seconds after Peterson’s shot, then Wade gave his bench a try.

Michael Graydon immediately responded from deep and with a later shot from behind the arc by Jaquan Cushion, Tift was now down a single point, 38-37. Worth hit their own three-pointer at the buzzer to go up four points, but Tift was now rolling.

The Devils started their fourth quarter surge at the free throw line. Eight seconds into the period, Worth was assessed a technical foul and Cushion sank both free shots. Tift again cut it to a single point on a Tyree Marshall free throw.

Worth went ahead three points, then Marshall tied it at 5:44 on a three-point shot. Austin Jackson briefly gave Worth the lead back at 4:05 on a foul shot, but it turned out to be the Rams’ last score for 3:30.

With the starters back in, Terrell was fouled on a drive to the basket that went in at 3:52. He made the free throw for a 46-44 lead. Tift expanded it on a J.J. McClain basket on a Terrell assist.

Soon, even more good fortune arrived when a traveling call against the Rams turned into another technical foul at 1:17. Soon, Worth had foul to try to regain possession. Tift made five of its last free throws to hold on to the win.

The battle was on early between the teams, the lead switching hands 10 times in the first quarter alone. The Blue Devils led 13-11 at the end of the quarter when Graydon made a free throw at 1:10.

Worth took a 17-16 lead on Jakobe Nether’s free throws and later increased it to 20-16. Tift came roaring back with an 8-0 run, Terrell and McClain each getting three-point plays. Jackson scored late to get the Rams within two, 24-22, at the break.

Terrell topped Tift in scoring with 13 points, seven coming in the final four minutes of the game. A trio of Devils added seven points each: Marshall, McClain and Marquavious Johnson.

Nether scored 14 for Worth, Farley adding 13.

LADY DEVILS 64, WORTH 25

Starting from the opening jump, Friday’s game was showtime for the Lady Devils.

Kaysie Harrelson won the tip for Tift and four seconds later, the ball was in the basket, courtesy of a Nicky Jones lay-up. Thirty seconds later, Harrelson scored on a Denise Duggins assist for a 4-0 lead.

Worth briefly got to within two points at 4-2 on DeAnna Williams’ basket three minutes into the contest, but the Lady Rams could not keep up with their hosts.

Three possessions for Tift resulted in three consecutive three-pointers, Destiny Johnson nailing two and Jones scoring the other. Tift led 15-6 after a quarter.

Williams scored back-to-back baskets to get Worth to 15-10, but everyone for the Lady Devils was getting to the goal. Tift finished the half on an 11-2 run.

Keisha Jackson provided much of the spark during those minutes. Jackson was constantly around the basket, getting fouled and going to the free throw line. She made five of six attempts from the stripe.

Up 26-12 at the half, the Lady Devils saw Johnson hit two more three-point shots in the third period, a quarter that saw seven Tift players account for 23 points.

Joslyn Reyes scored with a second to go in the frame, a shot that gave the Lady Devils a 49-19 lead and made for a mercy rule in the fourth quarter since they were ahead 30 points.

Ashley Lynn made a pair of three-pointers in the first minute of the fourth, but the Lady Rams went cold the rest of the way. The big lead saw plenty of young Tift players get opportunities.

Shavonna Morris scored her first point of the season on a free throw, then added three more when she was fouled on a made basket. Cali Conner capped scoring when she cleaned up an offensive rebound with 21 seconds left.

Johnson’s 12 points led Tift County, which also got 10 points from Jones and nine from Reyes.

Worth was paced by 10 points from Williams and nine by Lynn.

Tift will next be in action Friday at home against Colquitt County. If the Blue Devils defeat the Packers, they will wrap up No. 1 in the region.