Franklinton used a 16-3 run in the fourth quarter to pull away from Bogalusa to capture a 67-53 victory at home Tuesday.

Franklinton led 31-20 at halftime, but Bogalusa came out strong in the second half and caught and passed the Demons at 40-39 at the two and a half minute mark of the third quarter.

It was Bogalusa’s first lead since being ahead, 12-11, after the first period.

The game turned into a seesaw contest after the Lumberjacks took the lead, which kept the enthusiastic crowd on the edge of their seats.

Bogalusa’s Laster Hills, who had five, extended the lead with a 3-pointer to make it 39-35 with 2:07 left.

But the Demons responded when Darrius Dawson connected with Nick Burkhalter for three, trimming it to 39-38.

The Demons went back in front, 40-39, as Resean Hart hit Burkhalter for a layup.

Bogalusa’s Billy Mingo, who scored a game-high 23 points, had the answer with a layup.

Tremarcus Levi, who finished with 12, did the same, and the Lumberjacks had a 43-40 advantage with 1:14 left in the third.

FHS’ Tray Anders, who scored 11, trimmed it to one at the 30-second mark but Mingo hit for two right after that. The Lumberjacks led, 45-42, after three.

“We had the exact same lead we had on them in Bogalusa, an 11-point lead (33-22 at halftime in the last meeting),” Franklinton coach Randall Ginn said. “I don’t know if that was a jinx or what because we came out in the third quarter and played tight. We played like we were scared to lose the 11-point lead again (Bogalusa won the last match up, 62-58), which we promptly went out and did in the third quarter. I didn’t spend a lot of time yelling and motivating them tonight. If they couldn’t get motivated by their rival, there wasn’t anything I could say or do to them, so I just pointed out that they looked like they were playing scared and were trying to hold on to a lead instead of playing to win.”

The lead changes continued at the outset of the fourth quarter when Azende T. Magee, who posted seven, came up with steal and a layup 48 seconds into the period.

Once again, Bogalusa retook the lead quickly on Tyran Holloway’s layup to give Bogalusa a 47-46 lead.

Burkhalter put his club back on top by hitting a pair of free throws at the 6:39 mark of the fourth period to make it 48-47 Franklinton.

That began a 16-3 run that lasted until the 1:20 mark. FHS led, 64-50, with 1:24 showing. BHS got a quick bucket from Levi to make it 64-52, but they could get no closer than 12 after that, as Franklinton won 67-53.

Azende O. Magee, who tied Burkhalter with a team-leading 17 points, said that Ginn told them to just cool down, to play their game and not get caught up in the hype.

“That’s what we did. We executed,” Magee said.

Ginn said that Azende O. Magee played an outstanding game.

“He played very well in the back of our pressure in the passing lanes,” Ginn said. “Too many times in the past, he wants to steal from the player all of the time, but tonight I thought he did a great job of jumping passes as they were being lobbed everywhere.”

Also for the Demons, Dawson logged 10 points while Quincy Stewart and Ryché Jenkins both had two and Born Smith added one. Bogalusa’s Holloway finished with nine. Kenneth Robertson tallied three, and Kenyatta Scott added one.

Bogalusa coach Stradford Goins said they had trouble getting the team to connect and capitalize on certain opportunities. He also said he was proud of his club’s effort.

“One good thing about these rival games is it does bring out the best in us,” Goins said. “They didn’t give up. I’m very proud of them for that. They kept hustling. and they stayed in the game. They kind of let a few minor frustrations get to them right there. They played to the best of their ability for a good while, we just had a momentum shift that affected us a bit.”

Franklinton goes to 11-3 this season while Bogalusa is 6-9.