TIFTON – Colquitt County High’s boys basketball team was that team hard to beat three times in a season. Thursday, the Packers – 0-2 in the regular season vs. Lowndes – defeated the Vikings 65-55 in the Region 1-7A semifinals. Now, the Packers of coach Andy Harden will try to snap another 0-2 streak to Tift County High, the tournament host, in tonight’s championship.

“Our kids willed their way to a win,” said Harden. “They refused to lose. They were determined to get it done.”

And they got it done amid a lot of whistles. Harden said the Packers were 26-for-36 shooting free throws. Lowndes had 38 attempts at the line.

Cam Singletary scored 31 points to lead Colquitt. Jy Andrews added 11 and Jarvis Christopher seven.

The Packers led 31-21 at halftime, and 10-point margins stayed the same after each remaining period.

Knowing they will host a GHSA 7A game for the second year in a row, Harden is still looking forward to tonight’s atmosphere at Tift.

“We have to play better defense,” he said. “And we have to box out, and we need two or three more scorers.”

Colquitt County’s girls basketball team, however, suffered a semifinal loss Thursday to Tift County High 58-50.