Colquitt girls take aim at Lady Devils

Published 7:36 pm Saturday, February 6, 2021

MOULTRIE – The Colquitt County girls basketball team can claim the Region 1-7A regular-season championship with a home win over Tift County on Tuesday.

The Lady Packers, who beat Lowndes on Wednesday and Friday, will take a 4-1 region record into the game against the Lady Devils.

Colquitt’s only loss came in Tifton.

Tift County also has just one region loss.

Tuesday also will be Senior Night for the Packers and Lady Packers and also the annual State Farm Night.

Colquitt’s girls are now 11-6 overall and won all three of their games against region opponents over a five-day period.

The Lady Packers defeated Camden County on Monday in Kingland and defeated the Vikettes 41-33 at Lowndes on Wednesday.

The Vikettes came to Moultrie on Friday and the Lady Packers, down by five points late, won 39-38 on a Carliss Johnson free throw.

“It was an intense game,” coach Rondesha Williams said. “We missed a lot of layups and a lot of free throws, but we kept on fighting.

“I couldn’t be prouder of my girls.”

Camille Singletary played a key role when she gave up a foul in the closing seconds.

It caused her to foul out, but it gave the Lady Packers the ball and a chance to pull out the crucial victory.

And while Johnson got the winning free throw and led the Lady Packers with 18 points, it was her defense that won the praise of her coach.

Heaven Robinson had seven points before having to leave the game with a leg injury. Williams was unsure what Robinson’s status would be for Tuesday’s game against Tift County.

Gracie Belle Paulk had six points, Singletary had five and Sissy Rowland had three.

Colquitt County’ boys dropped the second game 55-50 and are now 7-8 overall and are 1-4 in the region.

On Wednesday, the Packers rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to briefly take a fourth-quarter lead before falling 52-49 on the road at Lowndes on Wednesday.

“We started out slow,” coach Tremaine Facison said. “I think their size threw us off a little bit. But we were right there at the end to win the game. Our guys played well and we’ll adjust.”

Colquitt outscored the Vikings 32-25 in the final two quarters, giving Facison a reason to believe his team can win on Friday.

The Packers were led by Nathan Harden, who scored 14 points. Baby D Wheeler and Montana Edwards each had 10.

The Packers pressed as much as they could, but with only nine players on the roster, Facison is limited as to how much he can do.

“I love these guys,” he said. “The come in and work. They get down on themselves sometimes, but I’ll take my nine over anyone else’s 15.”

Colquitt’s girls led by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter against Lowndes on Wednesday before holding on to win by eight.

Johnson led the Lady Packers with 11 points and Paulk chipped in 10.

Robinson, Rowland and Singletary each added six points, but Singletary was a key controlling the tempo and setting the defenses.

She also has taken her coach’s suggestions to heart and has cut back on her fouls.

Keyona Harper added two points and Ameris Johnson came off the bench to provide some quality minutes.

The region tournament will begin on Saturday, Feb. 13.