MOULTRIE – Lady Packers coach Rondesha Williams saw the scoring performance of the season and an extremely scary moment for her girls basketball club when the Vereen Christmas Shootout began Thursday. All was well, though, for the second game of the classic format Friday as Williams was honored for her 200 career coaching wins at Colquitt County High.

Two wins were added to her total thanks to junior Janiah Ellis. She had 34 points Thursday against Newton High, whom the Lady Packers handled 55-41. When that game ended, however, senior Tionna Hunt was on the floor in pain after an ill-advised half-court heave at the buzzer.

Hunt was helped off the court and was later walking on her own power during boys action. As the team then took William Bryant Court for Friday’s warm-up to face Brunswick High, Hunt was there going full speed. She did not start the game, but played and contributed to a 67-58 win against the Lady Pirates.

For Brunswick it was about a dreadful night of shooting the basketball from the floor … until the last 90 seconds of regulation when two 3-pointers brought them within four points. The Lady Pirates had not scored from beyond the arc since making 3 right at the beginning. Colquitt County led by as much as 14 in the fourth period, and then Brunswick pulled to within eight, 60-52, at the 1:33 mark.

The first 3-point bomb from the Lady Pirates sank at 1:12. It was a six-point game as a result, and with some gained confidence, another long-range attempt was in the air with 30 seconds to play. Colquitt was ahead 62-58, and that was the last time Brunswick would score. Williams was able to count on consistency at the foul line, for her ladies scored 18 points on charity tosses in the fourth.

The Lady Pirates had so many advantages in the game such as offensive rebounding and creating turnovers, but things that were not in their favor were percentages shooting the basketball and scoring off their takeaways. They were able to lead by three in the opening period with four turnover points. From Tim’mya Sanders’ steal at 1:06, Colquitt County flipped the advantage its way for good.

In a quarter where Hunt entered the game and earned an inbound assist to Ellis and Eriyona Stokes put in a weak-side offensive board, the Lady Packers led 13-11 at the end. Hunt opened the second quarter connecting from 3, a lot closer to the line than her last attempt the night before. She also had three steals in those eight minutes.

Brunswick didn’t score from the floor until 1:34 but only trailed Colquitt 18-14. That was followed by a Lady Packer turnover and second-shot that brought the margin to two. Stokes, at the 44-second mark, hit from 3. Ellis, just inside of 20 seconds before the half, dribbled end to end and drew a foul while making a floating attempt. The score read 24-18 for the host club at the break.

The Lady Pirates were 3-for-15 in free throws for the first half (Colquitt also shooting 15 with seven makes).

Ellis’ old-fashioned three-point play was the start of a 7-0 run that carried over into the third period and had Colquitt up by 10. Williams then saw some ball-sharing exhibitions with her players getting the ball to Ellis against a press for 2 and moving it around the arc for Stokes to sink an open 3 (33-23). Stokes was then on the receiving end of Naia Benefield’s give-and-go pass.

Three times in the quarter Brunswick scored on second shots, but found itself down 38-29 at the end thanks to Camille Singletary’s steal and score with 16 seconds on the clock.

Ellis scored on her own steal and threw an outlet assist to Hunt in the fourth when the margin expanded to 14, 53-39.

ELLIS VS. NEWTON

Colquitt County’s girls went through some awful shooting results Thursday facing Newton High out of Covington. Stokes’ 3-point accuracy accounted for six of only seven scored by the hosts in the opening period. The Lady Packers weren’t getting any second-chance points while Newton put back two missed 3s. It was 11-7 for Newton going into the second.

Facing Colquitt’s zone, Newton went scoreless for half the new period. The Lady Packers decided to do some penetrating on offense, and it got Ellis five points and two more from Hunt at 3:54. When Newton broke through at 2:23, it went on to score the last seven of the first half. With a 3 at 5.5 seconds, they were up by that much, 18-15, for halftime.

Ellis erupted for 13 third-quarter points with three straight 3-pointers. Despite that, Newton – with some offensive board work and 3-point hits – were even with the Lady Packers 28-28 at 2:35. Ellis followed in her own missed shot, and the third ended with four straight by Colquitt to lead 32-28.

The closest Newton got in the fourth came from a three-point play for 36-33. Afterwards, Ellis assisted Hunt’s 3-pointer to start a 6-0 run. The Lady Packers hit 10 foul shots down the stretch. Stokes ended the game with 10 points and Hunt nine.