TIFTON – Brunswick trailed Tift County by six points at halftime Saturday, but scored 28 in the third quarter en route to a 66-51 victory.

The Pirates, who were state runners-up in Class AAAAAA last season, improved to 13-1. Tift is now 9-5.

The Blue Devils were up 23-17 at intermission and extended it to 10 points on a three-pointer by Montavious Terrell 2.5 minutes into the third quarter.

But Brunswick came roaring back. Sparked by an intentional foul and a technical foul called in their favor, they turned that deficit into a 10-point lead, 45-35, by the time the period ended.

Marcus Scott, who scored 26 points for the game, was the Pirates’ biggest player during the third. He had 11 of their 28 points during the frame and did so from all over the floor, at the free throw line, lay-ups, jump shots and three-pointers.

Riding the athleticism of Rashod Bateman, the Blue Devils whittled the deficit down to five points, 52-47 midway through the fourth quarter. But Tift went cold from the field and Brunswick was able to seal the game with free throws.

Tyree Marshall and Michael Graydon each scored a basket in the final four seconds for the final margin.

Tift roared to a seven-point lead in the first three minutes of the contest behind three points from Terrell and four from Jatorian Warren.

Scott broke the ice for Brunswick with free throws at 3:35 before Daquan Humphreys got their first basket at 3:19 on a steal. Sheydan Baggs addred a three-pointer with two seconds remaining to pull to 14-9.

Marquavious Johnson’s three pushed Tift’s lead to 21-11 in the second period. Brunswick was behind the entire period, but a pair of free shots from Sharrod Ross allowed them to go to the locker room trailing 23-17.