KINGSLAND – It was a long day and a battle of survival for the Colquitt County High girls basketball club Friday. The Lady Packers already knew the tough customers Camden County’s Lady Wildcats became in the 2018-19 season, and the 46-45 win on the road didn’t come without some costs.

“It was a very long day,” said coach Rondesha Williams. “We made a lot of mental errors towards the end of the game. Our youth showed up, but a win is a win. I’ll take it.”

Junior Janiah Ellis, leading scorer all season for Colquitt’s girls, continued that trend with a 22-point effort. Senior Tionna Hunt fought through injury problems – not to mention foul trouble – to score 15 points.

But Williams had to go most of the game without Naia Benefield, a sophomore, when she had to leave with another injury problem on the Lady Packer side.

Colquitt County may lead this jumbled Region 1-7A undefeated at 4-0, but it all started when it had to go to overtime to defeat Camden County in Moultrie on Jan. 4.

“Camden didn’t play well last year, but they had their entire team returning,” said Williams. “Our young players are still learning. We’ve played well, but we have to fix these crucial errors.”

There’s a little pause in the 1-7A schedule, for on Monday at the Albany State University West campus (formerly Darton College) Colquitt County’s girls will take on Dougherty High in the MLK Day Classic. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. Colquitt County High’s boys basketball team will also play here Monday in a 2 p.m. start.

Williams said Albany State is bringing back alumni together, she being one of them. She said both she and Dougherty High’s head coach Khadijah Ali played for Robert Skinner.

Not only does Williams want to see a lot of support for both her team and Albany State as revenue from the Classic will benefit the Rams, she is looking for the “sixth man” to back them up this upcoming Friday against Tift County on William Bryant Court.

The Colquitt County High boys basketball team suffered defeat at hands of Camden County Wildcats 63-50 Friday in Kingsland.

The Packers outscored the Wildcats 23-13 in the final period, but wasn’t enough to overcome the large deficit by the Wildcats, who beat Colquitt in Moultrie Jan. 4.

Montavious Ponder led the way in scoring with 16 points. Tyler Walker pumped in 12, Henry Daniels tossed in nine and Elijah Scott had seven in the Region 1-7A contest.