Starr’s Mill entered Friday night’s clash with Region 2-AAAA rival McIntosh seeking its first win of the season.

It got it, holding off McIntosh in the final seconds for a 52-51 victory in Peachtree City.

The girls game also came down to the wire, with McIntosh eking out a 34-33 victory.

In the boys game, two free throws by Colin Elias expanded Starr’s Mill’s lead to 49-45 with 38.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Vince Brown electrified the home crowd and boosted McIntosh’s comeback hopes with a 3-pointer that slashed Starr’s Mill’s lead to 51-48 with 18.8 seconds remaining.

McIntosh’s Michael Chisholm hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but the Chiefs fell one point short of forcing overtime and, consequently, left their home court with a heartbreaking loss.

It was by far the most complete performance of the season for Starr’s Mill.

"The most deciding factor in our team's victory had to be the overall team play," Starr's Mill coach Brandon Hutchins said. "I have been telling these guys that they can be a good basketball team. We took our lumps last year and most of these guys have worked hard in the offseason. They finally believed in themselves and went out and executed our game plan."

Starr’s Mill essentially won the game at the free throw line, where it was near perfect, making 20 of 24 free throws.

McIntosh was 6-of-13 from the free throw line.

Starr’s Mill’s balanced scoring attack was led by Colin Elias (13 points), Andrew Davis (12), Justin Smith (11), Paul Vogel (eight) and Mark Conard (eight).

McIntosh’s Cameron Rich led all scorers with 20 points, including four 3-pointers. The Chiefs could have used Rich’s sharp-shooting skills late in the fourth quarter, but he fouled out with 5:26 to go.

The Chiefs had one other player score in double figures, Robert Chubb, who added 11.

McIntosh's boisterous student section, which usually gives the Chiefs an advantage, might have cost McIntosh the victory.

Late in the first half, a McIntosh student directed a remote-controlled mini-blimp above the court for a few minutes. McIntosh was assessed a technical foul for delaying the game.

Davis, who was fouled before the balloon hovered above the court, sank four consecutive free throws, points that would come back to haunt the Chiefs.

In the girls game, two of the smallest players on the court, McIntosh’s Morgan McCrory and Olivia Tucker, delivered the biggest shots of the game in the final seconds.

McCrory’s driving layup tied the game at 33 with 41 seconds left, and Tucker sealed the win by hitting one of two free throws with less than 20 seconds remaining.

Starr’s Mill had a chance to leave the court with a win, but a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Tempest Ponds was off the mark.

The Lady Panthers squandered a 17-9 lead at halftime.

Tucker led all scorers with 11 points.

Alexis Shaffer scored a team-high nine points for Starr’s Mill.