Kawayne Gaston scored a game-high 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Porters Chapel to a 57-44 victory over visiting Tallulah Academy on Saturday.

The Eagles won from the foul line, hitting 16 of 28 free throws despite only making six field goals in a foul-plagued second half.

Tallulah struggled at the free throw line in the second half, making just 4 of 11.

With big center Talbot Buys nursing a sprained ankle and 3-point shooter Matthew Warren struggling, PCA coach E.J. Creel was happy to come away with a victory, especially considering the Eagles shot just 29 percent from the field.

“This is a hard time of the year for us, three games a week from here on out,” Creel said. “It was a win, but it was ugly. Kawayne has came in and done everything we asked him to do. Matthew had an off-night. We played terrible.”

The Eagles took a 29-21 lead at halftime thanks to several big buckets by Jake Boyd, who scored seven in the first half.

In the third, the Trojans (4-11) made their run. Cameron Machen, who finished with a team-high 11 points, hit a pair of layups as Tallulah cut the lead to 34-30.

“I told them before the game it was going to be an up-tempo game,” Tallulah coach Ricky Owens said. “The free throws crept on us. We didn’t make a lot of free throws. They capitalized on their free throws.”

But Machen then made a crucial error when he intentionally fouled Ted Brisco on a putback, which rolled in. Brisco converted the plus-one opportunity and one of the technical foul free throws to give PCA an eight-point cushion.

Tallulah cut the lead to six twice in the fourth, but the Eagles made most of their free throws down the stretch to keep the lead at eight or more.

Brisco added 18 points for PCA (6-5).

(G) Tallulah 63, Porters Chapel 19

Megan Givens scored 19 points to pace Tallulah Academy to a rout of Porters Chapel.

Claire Mims led Porters Chapel (1-12) with 12 points. Allie Kate Gossett and Rachel Walker added 10 points apiece.

PCA will host District 5-A rival Rebul on Tuesday night at 6.