VALDOSTA – Much like the whole regular-season series between Tift County High and Colquitt County High boys basketball, once the Blue Devils went on that first big spurt they never looked back. Eric Holland’s club ended the first period on a 13-2 run, and behind 25 points and a slew of blocked shots by Player of the Year P.J. Horne Tift County claimed the Region 1-7A Tournament championship Friday over the No. 3-seeded Packers 64-47.

Colquitt County was playing its third game of the postseason event held at Lowndes High, having first eliminated fourth-seeded Camden County Tuesday and squashing the No. 2 host Vikings on Thursday. Both finalists are now looking forward to GHSA 7A first-round action as hosts this upcoming weekend. It will be the first time ever for the Packers to host a state contest.

In addition to the 25 from Horne – recently signed to play college basketball at Virginia Tech – Tift had a 14-point game from guard Montavious Terrell and 13 from forward Fred Lloyd.

Point guard Cameron Singletary led Colquitt with 17 points. Senior forward DaNas Andrews had 10.

Singletary and Terrell traded 3-point baskets in the opening minutes as the Packers went back and forth with the Blue Devils. Tyrese King’s trey from a kick-out pass inside gave Colquitt one of its leads at 7-5.

From there, however, the period belonged to Tift with dominant post play on both ends of the court. Terrell got into the paint with put-back points, and Horne blocked the Packers on the ensuing possession. This generated a fast-break and intentional foul called as Lloyd looked to finish. The Devils went ahead for good, and their next two offensive trips ended with a lob to Lloyd and ball reversal for a slam by Horne.

Horne proceeded to steal the basketball and earn the old-fashioned three-point play. The quarter ended at 18-9 with one more Horne block and Terrell’s second trey. Horne was still doing as he wished in the second quarter, nearly tearing the rim off on the opening possession.

Packer forward Quentin Dopson regained some space inside putting back an offensive rebound. Andy Harden’s hot-shooting substitute, Nizarre Thompson, made his first attempt good going to the glass.

The Packers were still down by 10, 27-17, but Tift’s shooting cooled down as the pace of play slowed down. Thompson’s first 3-point attempt went through with just over two minutes before the half to bring Colquitt within seven, 27-20.

Terrell responded from the top of the key, and for Tift the half ended with five straight and yet another block from Horne.

Packer shots inside were consistently challenged by both Horne and Lloyd, and that carried on into the second half. The Blue Devils led by 12 at the break (32-20) but did not score until 4:36 of the third period (Horne). At 3:10, Singletary took his own steal the other way for 2. But with their next two times holding the basketball, the Blue Devils got Lloyd’s tip-in and Horne’s baseline jumper to lead by 12 again, 38-26.

Looking to provide Colquitt County with a lift was Jy Andrews. He knocked home the 3-ball, and – as Tift went through a long possession – chased after a loose ball at midcourt. DaNas’ younger brother took it all the way in, and at the end of the third the Packers were within nine, 40-31.

Tift executed high-low, Terrell to Micah Johnson, to open the final quarter. Jarvis Christopher put back a miss for Colquitt only to see Marquavious Johnson do the same for 44-33 Devils. Horne put on a show next with seven straight for his team. Terrell penetrated for 2 at the 3:30 mark, and Lloyd turned a takeaway into 3 for their biggest lead, 58-41.