TIFTON – Tift County’s Lady Devils never trailed Friday, but had to fend off a frantic Ware County comeback to take a 45-42 win at the McDonald’s Invitational.

At their peak, which came on a Destiny Johnson basket and free throw, Tift led by 17 points, 40-23. That was with 65 seconds remaining in the third quarter. By the end of the frame, Chyna Carter and Shouveir Spaulding had thrown in four points, making for a 40-27 lead going into the fourth.

Then the game began to get dicy for the homestanding Lady Devils.

Ware’s strategy was to pass around the perimeter, then drive to the hoop. That led to a number of Tift fouls.

The Lady Gators were frequent free throw line visitors. In the three minutes, they went to the line four times. They were less adept at making these shots – 3 of 7 in that span – but boosted by two buckets by Latreona Holmes, it was 40-36 with 3:30 remaining.

Tift went five minutes without scoring, but got back to a six-point lead when Jamia Level was fouled on a made basket. Spaulding responded 90 seconds later, at 1:37.

The teams traded points, Keisha Jackson for Tift on a lay-up and Justyce Eason with free throws. The score was 44-40 when the locals missed a pair of free tosses, then got closer at 36 seconds on Spaulding’s score.

The Lady Devils had an out of bounds call go their way on Ware’s end, but the inbounds pass was picked off. Fortunately, for Tift, Ware missed a short shot and Annah Daniel grabbed the rebound.

Daniel threw a long pass to a streaking Kalliyah Wright, who was fouled near the goal. Ware fouled Wright, which was called intentional. Wright made one of two free throws for a 45-42 score and Tift kept possession with 11 seconds left.

Tift lost the ball out of bounds with eight seconds to go, but a Ware pass was grabbed by Johnson. She missed the front end of a one-and-one, but with one second left, Ware could not get off a shot.

Johnson scored the game’s first points, a three-pointer. Three minutes into the contest, Tift led 7-2 after Tamari Way scored underneath. It was 11-7 after a quarter.

After Ware cut it to 13-11, the Lady Devils responded with a 10-1 run. Spurred by consecutive steals and lay-ups by Tamyra Carter and Daniel, Keisha Jackson pushed score to 23-12 on a three-point basket.

Taking a 26-16 lead at the half, Johnson started the third quarter with another three-point play. Tift had a 6-0 run midway through the period.

Johnson led both sides with 19 points. Jackson added nine and Daniel had six. Zamaria’ Denton was Ware’s leading scorer with 14 points.

Before the game, McDonald’s Joyce Danford presented Tift head coach Julie Conner and daughter, Cali Conner, with a plaque in memory of Tom Conner, who died in November. Son, Tye Conner, is in Roswell where he will play in the junior contest of the North-South All-Star football game Saturday.

Ware coach Mandy Lingenfelter and players also presented to the Conners.

“We love you and we’re praying for you,” said Lingenfelter.