KINGSLAND – The Colquitt County boys basketball team opened the Region 1-6A portion of its schedule by defeating Camden County 49-42 on Friday in Kingsland.
The Lady Packers lost for just the second time this season when they fell 51-44 to the Lady Wildcats in Friday’s first game.
The Colquitt boys were coming off their first two losses of the season after dropping back-to-back games to Dougherty and Monroe before the holiday break.
But with Marcus Moore scoring 11 points, the Packers jumped out to a 17-11 first-quarter lead.
Cason Harden scored 11 in the second quarter as Colquitt built a 30-21 halftime lead.
The Packers fended off the Wildcats in the final two quarters to take the five-point win that raises their record to 8-2.
The wins are already the most by a Colquitt County boys team since the 2020-2021 team went 10-10.
Harden led the Packers with 19 points. JaKari Byrd added 13.
Moore was the third Packer in double-digits with his 11 points.
Quan Kinsey came off the bench to score four points and Kanilyn Jones added a third-quarter basket.
Caleb Reed led Camden County by scoring five points each in the first, third and fourth quarters.
The loss was the sixth in a row for Camden’s boys, who fall to 6-8 overall and 0-1 in the region.
Colquitt County’s girls were coming off a 56-50 win over unbeaten and No. 4-ranked Ware County on Dec. 28, but could not break through against Camden County.
In addition to going 1-0 in the region, the Camden County girls raise their overall record to 10-4.
The Lady Packers, who opened the season with eight straight wins, fall to 10-2.
Colquitt will remain on the coast and will play at Richmond Hill on Saturday, with the girls game starting at 1 p.m. The boys game will start at about 2:30 p.m.
The Richmond Hill girls are 11-2 after winning their region opener 52-33 over Valdosta on Friday at home.
Richmond Hill’s boys completed the sweep, edging Valdosta 49-47.
Lowndes and Tift County will open region play on Saturday in Tifton.