VALDOSTA — Lowndes’ boys basketball team rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit, then outlasted Warner Robins in overtime to win its Region 1-AAAAA opener, 84-81, Friday night.

The win was Lowndes’ sixth in the last seven games, and fourth this week. The Vikings won the FMB New Year’s Eve Classic in Lakeland earlier this week.

Friday’s win had plenty of excitement, and plenty of anxious moments for both sides.

“We showed a lot of character and a lot of heart tonight,” Lowndes head coach Kingston Clark said after the game.

The game went down to a shot at the buzzer. After Justin Mayfield’s free throw gave Lowndes a three-point lead with 5.3 seconds left, Warner Robins got the ball in the hands of All-Region forward Kenny Fluellen. Fluellen’s shot from the top of the key hit the rim and bounced away, and the Vikings were the winners.

“If we battle like we did tonight, and play the whole game like we did in the second half, we’ll be in good shape,” Clark said. “We’ve got to keep it up, because it’s a long road ahead of us.”

It was a tale of two games. The first half was all Warner Robins. The Demons took control late in the first quarter, scoring the final 10 points of the period, and led 20-10 after eight minutes.

Warner Robins went on another run in the final two minutes of the half, scoring nine of the last 11 points, and went into the locker room leading 38-24.

At halftime, Clark challenged his team to step up.

“We were so flat, and I was so discouraged at halftime, because we weren’t doing anything (well). I told them I was ready to find somebody who can play some basketball,” Clark said. “Then they showed me they were ready to play (in the second half).”

The Vikings responded. Justin Mayfield, who’d been held to just two points in the first half, sank two three-pointers, then stole the ball and raced in for a layup. Five seconds later, Mayfield stole the ball and fed Tyler Hunter, who converted a three-point play. That culminated an 11-2 run for Lowndes, and cut its deficit from 16 to seven, 42-35, barely two minutes into the second half.

“We outscored them 17-9 in the third quarter, and that’s what made the difference,” Clark said.

Trailing 47-41 heading into the fourth quarter, the Vikings took control. Aaron Winston banked in a shot, and after a Demons free throw, Robert Powell scored twice in 12 seconds, cutting Warner Robins’ lead to one. Mayfield’s layup with 6:10 left gave Lowndes its first lead since the first quarter, 49-48.

For the rest of the period, the teams traded the lead back-and-forth. Lowndes built a five-point lead, but Trevlynn Williams’ three-point play cut it to two.

With 6.9 seconds left and Lowndes leading 68-66, Williams drove the lane and tied the score. Brian Wright’s shot at the buzzer rimmed out, and the game went into overtime.