MOULTRIE – When a 12-point second-half lead shrunk down to two in the fourth quarter, Colquitt County High’s Diamond Hall scored six of her 19 points and assisted on the final two of Za’Nautica Downs’ 25 points Tuesday on opening day of the Vereen Rehabilitation Shootout. The Lady Packers, though undefeated no more after nine straight wins, got back on a victorious track 58-54 against Morrow High on William Bryant Court.

Hall, earlier in the game, looked like she would need a trainer’s look, but never left the court. A teammate who did take a hard spill in the second half and had to be checked on was forward Tionna Hunt. When the backup found her way back in Rondesha Williams’ rotation, she contributed a clutch steal and score with 1:22 remaining that gave the Lady Packers a 54-47 lead.

Morrow had pulled within two, 47-45. It was 56-52 for the hosts when Hall, after scoring three baskets, gave up the ball to Downs.

It was a game where Williams saw her girls have spells of offensive struggles and rebounding woes, but also hararss the visiting Lady Mustangs defensively and cause turnovers that put them up as much as 12, 35-23.

Six of Morrow’s first eight points in the game were the result of second-chance shooting. Downs and Hall worked the pick-and-roll for the first Colquitt field goal three minutes into play.

Downs, simply put, began to feel it with eight long-range shooting points. She took advantage of pick after pick from teammates.

Even Abiyah Spencer was in the act in her starting role. She stole the basketball and put back her own missed shot. Spencer almost had a second one right away in all the commotion the Lady Packers were causing in their zone set, and both Downs and Hall had a takeaway.

Colquitt only led by one, 15-14, after one quarter, and Morrow tied the score 16-16 from a stickback. The Lady Packers missed four chip-in range shots in a row but then went up 21-16 on the first field goal by Hall (from a steal) at 3:40.

Colquitt smothered Morrow defensively outside the arc. Tim’mya Sanders caused turnovers off the bench, including on Morrow’s attempt to shoot after running down the final two minutes.

The Lady Packers were up 23-19 at the half and had an overall streak of nine in a row capped by Akia Sutton’s mini-break pass to Kiarra Lovett. Morrow didn’t score in the third until 4:57. As Hall was attacking the basket out of the gate and creating a rebound chance and outlet to Downs, Colquitt had a 37-25 12-point edge.

Morrow got to the foul line late, and stuck a 3 out of a patient set with six seconds left to get back in the game down 37-32.

Downs hit two 3s to go with a Sutton jumper early in the fourth. Morrow had a 6-0 run capped by a turnover basket to pull within two with 3:25 to go.