Lady Packers will count on defense against Wheeler

Published 8:36 pm Thursday, February 15, 2018

MOULTRIE — The Colquitt County girls will have to put a disappointing loss in the Region 1-7A tournament behind them as they get ready to travel to meet Wheeler High in their 5 p.m. Friday state tournament opener.

A year after winning the region championship, the Lady Packers fell to Tift County 58-50 in the region tournament semifinals last week and will take a No. 3 seed with them to Marietta.

The 2016-2017 Lady Packers won their first two games in last year’s tournament before being eliminated by Archer.

Colquitt County coach Rondesha Williams says her team must regain focus if it is going to put on a similar or better run this year.

The Lady Packers shot just 15 percent from the field against the Lady Devils, a team they had defeated 61-32 and 55-34 earlier in the season.

“We’ve got to put that game behind us,” she said. “We were just not focused in that game. Everybody is 0-0 now. But we know what a loss means.”

And a loss would be especially tough for a group of seniors, most of whom have been together for four years: Za’Nautica Downs, Abiyah Spencer, Kierra Lovett, Akia Sutton, Diamond Hall and Chyna Calhoun.

The Lady Packers have been especially dependant on Downs and Hall for scoring and leadership.

The two will finish their careers as the No. 2 and. No. 3 scorers in school history.

Downs is averaging 15.6 points a game this year and currently ranks No. 2 in school history behind Makeba Ponder with 1,937 points.

Hall is right behind with 1,433 career points.

She also is averaging 18.3 points and 9.5 rebounds this season and is the two-time region Player of the Year.

They will need to step up against the 18-8 Lady Wildcats, who are the Region 2 runners-up.

Wheeler has an outstanding 6-foot-4 post player in senior Nissa Sam- Grant, but Williams is more concerned about the play of the Wheeler guards.

To win their 20th game of the season, the Lady Packers must keep senior Armani Smith, who likes to drive and penetrate, in check.

“We have to stop their guard play,” Williams said. “We have played against good guards all season, so that will be a help.

“Defense will be the key, but we can play good defense.”

Williams said Sutton, Downs and Hall will be up to the challenge defensively.

The Lady Packers will also count on Lovett, Spencer, Janiah Ellis, Tionna Hunt and Eriyona Stokes to get a big tournament win on the road.

The Lady Packers have won just three of their six games since returning from a trip to New York City, where they split their two games in the Rose Classic Super Jam.

“It’s going to be about our mindset,” Williams said. “We’ve been up and down lately. But it happens to good teams.

“Girls are emotional. But I’m keeping a positive outlook. I always believe in them.”

Williams is in her 11th season at Colquitt County and with a 195-106 record is closing in 200 victories.

A victory over Wheeler would give the Colquitt County girls program its third 20-victory season in the last five years.