Johnson named region’s Offensive Player of the Year

Published 12:03 pm Sunday, March 5, 2023

MOULTRIE, GA — Despite missing six games early in the season because of a serious ankle injury, Colquitt County’s Carliss Johnson bounced back to perform at a high level and has been named the Region 1-7A girls Offensive Player of the Year.

The Colquitt County boys and girls basketball teams each had four players named to the All-Region 1-7A teams selected by the coaches.

Johnson received this honor from her scoring statistics. Instead of votes, this award is given to the player with the most points scored during region games.

Since Valdosta’s Essence Cody, who had the most points, was selected as the overall Player of the Year, Johnson was next in line.

Johnson averaged 14.7 points overall in her final season as a Lady Packer and finished her career as the fourth-leading scorer in school history.

Two Lady Packers — Amareyia Knighton and D’Zeriyah Polite — made the All-Region first team.

Knighton, a sophomore, scored 317 points and averaged 12.7 points a game.

Polite, a junior, scored 255 points and averaged 9.8 points per game.

“You have to play with a big heart, and you have to leave it all on the floor,” said head coach Rondesha Williams.

Making the All-Region second team was junior Jamya Moore.

Over the last three seasons, Moore has scored 237 points, 132 this season.

“I’ll be returning four starters next year, while most teams are losing 3-4 athletes,” said Williams.

“You have to work on your craft outside of practice time,” said Williams about her girls’ success this year. “That’s the thing everyone has to do if you want to be successful. You gotta be consistent and that goes with life, not just basketball. You have to be consistent in life to be successful, and you have to work hard everyday.”

The Packers also had four players receive recognition this year.

On the first team was senior I’marius Bussie who scored 175 points this season with an average points per game of 11.5.

Sophomore JaKari Byrd was named to the second team. Byrd scored 175 points and averaged 10.5 points a game.

“Right now, there is the potential to dominate the games,” head coach Andy Harden said of Byrd. “We are going to make sure that happens.”

The newcomer of the year was awarded to freshman Cason Harden.

In his first season, Harden scored 138 points, an average of 7.5 points per game.

“It’s hard when you put ninth-graders out there,” said coach Harden. “When you’re 14 going against 17-18-year olds, physically and mentally it’s challenging. Cason accepted the challenge and never complained.”

Junior Tyshon Reed received honorable mention.

He did some great things for the Packers, scoring 82 points, averaging 5 points per game.

“There are lots of decisions to make for next year,” said coach Harden. “We could do some amazing things. Now they have something to gauge to know what we have to get done.”

Players are nominated for the All-region team by their coaches and when votes are cast, coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players.