MOULTRIE – Andy Harden looked at about 50 young student-athletes on the William Bryant Court. That’s how many want to be a part of something special building up in the Colquitt County High athletic department.

But the Packer boys basketball coach made it clear. There aren’t a lot of spots available on a high school basketball roster. So the best ways to make his are as much about character and grades as it is knowing what to do with the ball in your hands.

No longer is the hoops game the ‘laughingstock’ of Colquitt County High. The memories are still fresh of an incredible unbeaten start to the 2016-17 season that ended in the playoffs and the first-ever home tournament game.

“There’s a lot of excitement around our program,’ said Harden before conducting the first official practice for 2017-18 Monday. “The senior class earned it last year. I told them to make sure you enjoy your senior year, and at the end have no regrets. Our seniors have a lot of character.”

It is still late October/early November, so there’s two lists of Packer players to talk about in terms of basketball. There’s Cam Singletary, Kaleb Dawson, Jarvis Christopher, Kam Woods and Marcus Anderson. They are still heavily involved as starters for the Colquitt County football team that completed the regular season last weekend at 7-3 and await the first playoff round on Nov. 10. They would like to keep playing football four more weeks after that.

Singletary’s return will be especially anticipated by Harden as the senior point guard has become a serious prospect for the hardwood at the next level.

The other list includes Jy Andrews, Quinten Dopson and Nizarre Thompson. They are full-time basketball and, according to Harden, are the ones taking on the responsibility of leading the younger crop of players in showing what Packer hoops is now all about.

Harden said it was a great offseason. In terms of games in camps, Colquitt County went 28-5 playing everywhere from Georgia Southern to Georgia State. These camps, he said, were sometimes held right alongside football 7-on-7 tournaments, so the Packer athletes were often spread out. But he said that gave younger players a chance to work in game settings and improve.

“We’re doing a good job of building a program from the 6th grade to varsity,” said Harden. “We’re building every class. The players now have expectations.”

Check The Moultrie Observer later in the week for a look at the Lady Packer basketball program getting started as well. On Nov. 11, Colquitt scrimmages at Lee County, then the regular season begins at Crisp County Nov. 14. Region 1-7A’s tournament is at Tift County.