The Lady Devils captured at least a share of the Region 1-AAAAA regular season title Tuesday night with a come-from-behind 54-44 victory over the Lowndes Vikettes.

It was just the beginning of an exciting night for fans at the Tift County High Arena, as the boys game saw the Lowndes Vikings hand the Tift County Blue Devils their first league loss of the year, 86-81, in double overtime.

With a league title on the line, the Lady Devils began slow against Lowndes. Tift was down at the half by a 22-13 score. But, led by senior Jessica Jenkins, the Lady Devils dominated the second half, outscoring Lowndes by a 41-22 score.

Tift head coach Michelle Caldwell said about the first half, “I was disappointed. I told them they were playing scared. I really challenged them to come out and play better in the second half.”

“She told us this was our game and we needed to take over,” senior Justina Brownlee said of the halftime speech.

Playing in her last regular season game at home, Jenkins led Tift (19-5 overall, 7-2 in the league) with 25 points, 22 of those coming in the second half. But after the game, the senior said, “It was a great team effort. We all contributed something.”

That was echoed by Caldwell, as she said, “The seniors took over in the second half, but everyone had a hand in this.”

About Jenkins, the coach added, “Her ability to take over a game is unbelievable and that’s what she did tonight.”

Besides the 22 points in the second half, Jenkins also took a charge late in the game when the contest was still undecided.

Hitting three three-point baskets along the way, sophomore center Lindsay Welker added 14 points to the Lady Devil cause.

“This feels fabulous. I am so proud of these kids,” Caldwell said. “I am really happy for the seniors, they have been here for so long they deserved this. I knew they wouldn’t lie down tonight and they didn’t.”

Lowndes (20-4, 6-3) was led by Star Bradley with 11, while Stephanie Sermons and Markeisha Close had 10 points apiece.

While the team’s seniors helped lead the Lady Devils to a region title, the Blue Devils came in having already clinched their regular season crown in the league.

Early on, it appeared the Devils would go to 9-0 in the region, as Tift had a 21-16 lead at the end of one period. However, hot shooting allowed Lowndes to take a 40-36 lead into the half.

“They shot the ball lights-out tonight,” Tift head coach Johnny Spurlin said. “They cause problems on defense, because they have so many guys that can shoot the ball well, and they all did tonight.”

He added, “They also have outstanding quickness with their guards, and that hurt us tonight.”

After Tift took a 53-50 lead into the fourth period, Lowndes retook the lead, 66-64, on a pair of A.J. Brown free throws with 1:23 left.

With 57.5 seconds left, Tift’s Maurice Morrow made a basket to tie the game at 66-66. Neither team could score again, and the game went into the first overtime.

Tied at 72-72, Tift’s Keith Cagle took a charge with 4.7 seconds left.

The Devils got the ball down the court and Justin Brownlee dunked the ball after a Morrow miss. The Tift fans ran on to the court, thinking the game was over, but the official said the dunk came after the horn had gone off. That sent the game into a second overtime.

Lowndes’ Larry Jackson came out quick in the final overtime, and scored three quick points. That helped the Vikings gain a lead they would not relinquish. Lowndes was seven-for-eight at the free throw line to end the game.

“This was a tournament-type of game and we need that,” Spurlin said afterwards. “This is for good for us, because when we come across situations like this in the tournament, they won’t be new to us.”

Brownlee led the Devils with a career-high 42 points.

“Justin is unbelievable. Not only does he score, he also had several big passes and rebounds for us tonight,” said Spurlin.

Morrow ended up with 16 for Tift, while Cagle added 13.

Brown and Jarroid Johnson had 17 points apiece for Lowndes, while Jackson added 16.

Tift will close out its regular season Saturday night on the road at Houston County.

The Devils and the Lady Devils will host the 1-AAAAA tournament, beginning on Feb. 9.