TIFTON — Byne Christian saved its best quarter for last as the Saints scored 26 in the fourth period Friday night to defeat CHESS Academy, 67-50. It was a clean sweep for Byne as the girls team won 42-17 in the first varsity game.

CHESS Academy battled back from a 14-point second quarter deficit Friday, but found themselves unable to overcome Byne’s hot shooting in the final frame.

Byne and CHESS were tied six-all in the first period before the Saints ended the frame on an 11-0 run. Justin Williams and Drew Wagenshultz accounted for four points each during the stretch, which saw the Saints up 17-6 going into the second.

Holt Dixon broke Byne’s streak with a basket to lead off the second quarter, but a three-pointer from DeQuan Jefferson and another Wagenshultz basket extended the lead to 22-8.

The Knights then exploded for 11 straight points. Behind two three-point plays and eight points from Austin Wiley, CHESS cut the led to 22-19.

Wagenshultz helped push the lead back to six points, but Will Clark and Braxton Culpepper got the Knights back to within two. CHESS had the ball at the end of the half and head coach Jason Bishoff called timeout. Out of the strategy session, the ball went to Seth Bishoff and he responded with a three-pointer as time expired to give the Knights a 26-25 advantage.

Dixon and Wiley extended the Knights’ lead to 35-27 early in the third quarter. But a three-pointer from Tanner Watts seemed to spark a surge for Byne. Williams scored on an offensive rebound, then added a couple of free throws, the latter of which put the Saints ahead 36-35.

Wiley gave CHESS the lead back, scoring on an inbounds pass. Watts hit another shot from behind the arc for a 39-37 Byne lead. They were ahead 41-37 going into the final eight minutes.

The Saints scored the first five points of the fourth period. Bishoff broke the ice for CHESS on a three-pointer, but Byne responded with two baskets.

Bishoff hit three more threes for CHESS in the fourth, but the Saints kept coming up with big shots. With CHESS having to foul in attempt to get possession of the ball back, they found the Saints were good shots at the stripe, too. They hit their last six attempts at the free throw line to close out the contest.

Bishoff scored all of the Knights’ fourth quarter points and finished with a total of 22. Wiley contributed 13 points and Dixon had eight.

Williams and Jefferson were Byne’s two big weapons for the game, with 23 and 22 points, respectively.

BYNE 42, LADY KNIGHTS 17

CHESS’ young roster kept pace with the more experienced Byne for more than a quarter.

The teams were tied at six after the first frame and the Lady Knights had a 12-8 lead in the second.

CHESS’ scoring was nearly all the responsibility of Olivia Mullis. She scored the squad’s first five points, accounted for all of their field goals and had 15 of their 17 points.

Natalie Cave gave Byne a 2-0 lead before back-to-back shots by Mullis, include a three-pointer, made the score 5-2.

In the second period, Mullis’ steal gave CHESS its largest lead of the contest at 12-8. Byne came back with a baskets by Gabi Cave and Natalie Cave to tie, then Hannah Edwards gave them the lead for keeps on consecutive steals. Edwards had 10 points in the quarter and the Lady Saints were ahead 26-12 at intermission.

Mullis pulled the Lady Knights closer in the third when she began the quarter with three straight points, but Edwards kept up her play all over the court and accounted for the six six Byne points.

Mullis hit a pair of free throws for CHESS in the fourth, with both squads substituting often.

Edwards’ 22 points led both teams. Gabi Cave scored six for Byne.

Besides Mullis’ 15, CHESS scoring came from free shots by Hannah Johnson and Abby Hall.

A night before playing Byne, the CHESS Knights won over Lighthouse Christian of Valdosta, 47-37. Bishoff scored 19 points in that game.