Colquitt basketball teams sweep visiting Richmond Hill

Published 3:05 pm Saturday, February 4, 2023

MOULTRIE, Ga. – Colquitt County saw a double win Friday night when both the girls and boys basketball teams dominated against the Richmond Hill Wildcats on the William Bryant Court.

The girls won 52-37, while the boys won at 57-46. Both Colquitt teams were successful in ending each quarter with the advantage against the Wildcats. 

It was an intense night of play as both Packers teams received bonuses and unfortunately saw players hurt during their games.

“When teammates go out it’s emotional and tough,” said girls head coach Rondesha Williams. “They have to regroup and get back out there.” 

Though they weren’t badly injured, Ty Lamar from the boys team and Ameris Johnson from the girls both came off the court after getting knocked around.

More seriously, Amareyia Knighton from the Lady Packers got an injury to her knee early in the fourth quarter. She did not play the remainder of the game. 

“We don’t know how bad it is,” said Williams about Knighton. “If it swells we are done, but we got it looked at and the ACL is intact.”

Despite the emotions, both teams continued to play hard.

Tyshon Reed was the high scorer for the Packers with 14 points, followed by I’marius Bussie with 10 points and Zay Williams with nine.

The top three scorers for the Lady Packers were Carliss Johnson, contributing 20 points, and Knighton and D’Zeriyah Polite, both with seven points.

The girls received a bonus during the fourth quarter with only 2:30 remaining in the game. The boys had bonuses in every quarter except the first, and even got a double bonus, guaranteeing them two free throw shots with every foul, in the fourth quarter with only 2:01 left.      

“We are playing with confidence,” said boys head coach Andy Harden. “I’m really proud of them. They have stuck with it, and we are getting better.”

In the fourth quarter with only 40 seconds left in the game, Packers player JaKari Bryd had a big block, which helped secure their victory. Byrd also had one 3-point shot in the first quarter, and brought seven points in for the Packers throughout the game.

Also shooting 3-pointers for the boys team were Cason Harden with two baskets and Calvin Washington with one.

The Lady Packers had five players make 3-point shots: Jamya Moore and Carliss Johnson both made two, while Knighton and Caylnn Singletary made one.

Friday, during the boys halftime, also saw the acknowledgement of the gold, silver, and bronze medalist from the 2023 Special Olympics Georgia Winter Games that were held in Cobb County last weekend.

Playing in the master unified bowling competition, Deon Grant, Shane Jacobs, Kelvin Holmes, and James Moxley all won silver, while Josh Torbert and Kaitlyn Deas placed bronze.

Jo Jo Conner played on the Colquitt County Packers basketball team, which won silver, and bringing in the gold from the Colquitt County Hawks were Jayda Hughes and Akeeme Courbourne.

The Packers and Lady Packers will play Valdosta their final Region 1-7A games beginning at 6 tonight on the William Bryant Court.

Currently the girls are 4-3 in the region while the boys are 2-5.