MOULTRIE — Even while celebrating his team’s championship in this year’s Colquitt County Roundball Classic, Packers coach Kirven Davis was looking ahead to continuing to make the three-year old tournament a viable one.
Davis started the tournament in his first year as the Packers head coach in 2006 and has been able to bring to some outstanding teams to Moultrie to play in the tournament.
In each of the last three years, the event has run three days in last week of the year and has given hardcore basketball fans in Colquitt County a chance to see some boys and girls teams they would not ordinarily get a chance to watch.
Although economics conspired against him this year and the boys field was not as strong as it was the first two years, Davis hopes to be able to bring in quality teams in the future.
And while a growing tournament will be great for the community and the fans, Davis points out the effect on his players and on the Colquitt County High basketball program he is trying to build.
“This means more to the kids than you could ever know,” he said Thursday after his Packers won three straight games to capture the tournament title for the first time.
Davis was especially pleased that there was a good turnout for the Colquitt County boys game against Mt. Zion of Jonesboro that began about 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve, and was not finished until after 10 p.m.
“To have that many people hang around, it means something,” Davis said.
This year’s tournament drew nine girls and nine boys teams.
The Westover girls played one game and Camden County came in from Kingsland to play two.
The Central High of Miami boys team pulled out at the last minute, but Davis was able to get Baker County High to fill its position in the bracket.
The tournament featured teams Stockbridge High, Mt. Zion of Jonesboro, Savannah and Camden County in addition to the South Georgia schools.
The Dougherty, Westover, Albany, Monroe and Lee County girls teams took part as did the Monroe, Mitchell County, Miller County and Lee County boys.
Davis said other schools expressed interest in participating, but he was unable to fit them into the schedule after it was set.
The Peach State Classic held at Morehouse College was not held this year, leaving several schools looking for tournaments to enter.
Davis said he had to turn down several schools, but hopes to be able to bring some of them in next year.
One school he would especially see return is Boyd Anderson High School of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
The school’s boys team is coached former Moultrie Packer Eugene Richardson.
The Cobras won all three of their games in each of the first two years the tournament was held.
In 2006, the tournament featured boys and girls teams from South Miami and Washington County.
In both 2006 and 2007, the boys teams from Jeff Davis High of Montgomery, Ala., participated.
Davis said he is committed to making the tournament an excellent one and hopes the community will embrace it.
“A lot of people still haven’t seen the games,” he said. “We want to get them to come out.”
Local Sports
Davis out to continue building Roundball Classic
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Conference champions
The Colquitt County seventh-grade girls basketball team celebrates its South Georgia Athletic Conference championship. The team includes, front, from left, coach Sheila Williams, Za'Nautica Downs, Akia Sutton, Ty'Asia McNeal, Shy Seay; and back, Sydnee Dalton, Shay Stanfill, Kiarra Lovett, Abiyah Spencer, Coach Jon Scroggins, Angel Kinchen, Chyna Calhoun, Michaela Bennefield, Istajhe Johnson, Ashuntee Stewart and Ja'nysia Brown. Not shown, Coach Tamika Seay and Emily Dozier.
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Lady Pack clinches top seed for region tournament
Makeba Ponder’s free throw with 6 seconds remaining gave the Colquitt County girls a 55-48 victory over Lowndes on Tuesday on the William Bryant Court at the Gladys Espy Gymnasium and ensured the Lady Packers would have the top seed in next week’s Region 1-AAAAA tournament at Tift County.
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Rifle team defeats Worth County
The Colquitt County High rifle team remains unbeaten after taking a 1,098-1,082 victory over Worth County on Tuesday in Sylvester.
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Prine shines at Snowflake Invitational
Kenyadah Prine is progressing just fine in her comeback from two frustrating seasons that were marred by injuries. The Lowndes High senior is making the most of her opportunities to return to top form, no matter how big or small the stage.
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Prine shines at Snowflake Invitational
Kenyadah Prine is progressing just fine in her comeback from two frustrating seasons that were marred by injuries. The Lowndes High senior is making the most of her opportunities to return to top form, no matter how big or small the stage.
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Level 3 gymnasts first, Level 4 team second in Thomasville
The Moultrie YMCA MGs headed to Thomasville on January 28 to continue their meet season in the Rose City gymnastics invitational and the Level 3’s took first place and the Level 4’s placed second.
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Register wins region wrestling championship
Travis Register will take an unbeaten record into next weekend’s state sectional after going 2-0 and winning the 220-pound weight class at Saturday’s Region 1-AAAAA wrestling tournament at Lowndes.
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Lady Packers hold off Tift County
The Colquitt County girls basketball team held off a determined Tift County second-half rally on Saturday on the William Bryant Court at the Espy Gymnasium to get a 59-48 Region 1-AAAAA victory.
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Talking it over
The defending Region 1-AAAAA champion Colquitt County High baseball team held an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday at Ike Aultman Field at Packer Park. The Packers are gearing up for their Feb. 21 season-opener against Lawton Chiles of Tallahassee at Packer Park. Packers assistant coach Jake Mobley talks with sophomore pitcher, and little brother, Gabe Mobley during Saturday’s scrimmage.
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Seventh-grade girls win conference championship
The Colquitt County seventh-grade girls’ basketball team claimed the conference championship Saturday, upsetting previously undefeated Coffee, 20-19.
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