MOULTRIE – One of them is Chris Paul; the other, James Harden.

If any high school basketball coach wants to know how to get two players in the same class with the potential to reach 1,500 career points to work together, ask Colquitt County High girls boss Rondesha Williams to send you some film from the last two seasons.

Diamond Hall. Za’Nautica Downs. Major hardwood prospects. Two of the top three scorers in Lady Packer history. Great students. Unselfish. (Saved the best parts of their game for last.)

This week, Williams announced that these two senior leaders are going to play college basketball. Hall, the two-time Region 1-7A Player of the Year, signed with Alcorn State University in Mississippi. Downs, who set the school scoring record for one season with 640 points as a junior, is going to Florida Southwestern State College, which is coming off its first Suncoast Conference championship season (26-6) and just announced one of its players, LaToya Ashman, signed to transfer to LSU.

When Hall won her first Player of the Year award, she had 13 double-doubles as a junior. With Downs’ record-setting scoring, Colquitt County girls won the program’s first region championship under Williams. Downs finished her career with 1,966 points, second all-time for the Lady Packers, and right behind her is Hall with 1,468. To win Player of the Year a second time, Hall averaged 18 points and nine rebounds a game.

These are a pair of quiet girls, not ones to brag at all about their accomplishments.

Hall will be going to the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and she said she felt good when visiting the Alcorn State campus and is excited about going to an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) school.

“It was comfortable for me,” said Hall. “They told me I can come in and do the same things I’ve been doing, like double-doubles. That’s what they’re looking for out of me. They press more than we do (at Colquitt).”

For the transition from high school to the college game, Hall expects to receive a workout schedule for the summer so she can arrive to Alcorn State in good shape. She said she hasn’t done much basketball work since the season ended, so expect her to be “putting shots up” soon at a gym near you.

“It was a good accomplishment,” said Hall about repeating as Region Player of the Year. “Hard work pays off.”

She chose Alcorn over Georgia Southwestern State, Lynn University (Florida), Shorter College, Tuskegee and Auburn-Montgomery. Williams added Georgia Southern made a late pitch to her all-purpose guard.

“Alcorn was the best fit for her,” said Williams. Hall plans to major in biology and attend veterinarian school.

Williams said Hall has a virtual farm, but Hall said she really has one pet but recently another cat came into her life and produced a litter of kittens.

Hall was also the one to proclaim herself taking on the role of Paul, All-Star point guard for the Houston Rockets, as Downs was asked if they compare themselves to any combination of basketball players. So Downs then is Harden, the 2017-18 NBA scoring leader at Houston.

“It’s a good school. I like the program,” said Downs about joining Florida Southwestern State. “They told me that when I get there, it’s going to be a little hard, but like everything you just have to get through it.”

Williams said the biggest transition for both of her players is going to be the difference in the environment, for in college, a student-athlete is basically on her own as far as getting to her classes and to practices.

“They are going to have to be disciplined,” said Williams. “I think both of them are in a place where they can be successful. Neither is going to a big, big university. I think that’s good. Most times kids cannot make the transition from high school to a big university. Both schools are both small enough and big enough for them to be successful. They are going to have to put the work in. They have to fight through the adversity they are going to face.”

“I really enjoyed playing with my (Colquitt County) teammates and coaches,” said Downs. “I enjoyed the fans who supported us.

“I love playing with Diamond.”

She believes they made each other better. As for Williams, she meant “everything” to Downs.

“When I first came in, I wasn’t as good as I was now,” she said.

“Both of them came a long way,” said Williams. “Both of them had raw talent that had to be molded and shaped. The first year here, it was tough for them to make the adjustment. But they did. Diamond didn’t want to work. She had the ability. When she realized she can be good at this …

“I relied on both of them. If they weren’t on the floor together, we struggled. They were our confidence booster. They are very smart. It’s been great watching them grow together and getting their teammates on board.

“It’s very rare you find two kids who can score over 1,000 points in the same class. When Diamond was on, Za’Nautica made sure the ball was in Diamond’s hands. When Za’Nautica was on, Diamond made sure the ball was in her hands. They can go to their respective places and make a name for themselves.”

Downs plans to be an art major, for she loves to draw “anything.” It’s just for fun right now, no contests entered or anything like that. She also likes math classes.

Downs isn’t looking beyond Florida Southwestern State at the moment, waiting instead to see what options open over time. Williams said she is qualified to transfer after one season in Ft. Myers, but does like this chance for her to get acquainted with the college atmosphere. The coach said several junior colleges showed interest in Downs, and her serious four-year look was from Alabama State.

As for the level even beyond college, the professional game, Hall said she will certainly be done with playing after Alcorn. Williams said it’s certainly not a stretch, for on April 20, Tashia Brown of Lowndes High School and Western Kentucky signed as a rookie with the WNBA’s New York Liberty.