MOULTRIE — The Colquitt County seventh-grade and eighth-grade girls basketball teams reached the South Georgia Athletic Conference tournament finals on Saturday, but came up short in the championship game.

The eighth-grade girls went into the tournament in Valdosta with a 4-8 record, but knocked off Tift County 31-20 on Friday and then beat Newbern 28-27 on Saturday morning when Shay Lovett scored a basket with three seconds remaining.

But the eighth-grade Lady Packers were no match for the big Coffee Middle School Lady Trojans in the championship game, falling 44-22.

“I was proud of them,” coach Phaedra Walker said of her team, which finished 6-9. “Nobody gave us a chance to get that far.”

In the semifinal victory over Newbern, Colquitt County got eight points each from Lovett and Shaniqua McFadden. Persephone Taylor had four, Lori Sherling had a 3-pointer and Kimyama Moore and Aureyama Thomas had two each.

Colquitt County stayed close to Coffee in the first half, trailing just 19-11 at the break. But then the Lady Trojans pulled away.

Sherling was injured in the game and Taylor and Umeika Henry were in foul trouble much of the contest, making a comeback problematic.

In the championship game, Henry had eight, McFadden had six and Lovett and Taylor each had four.

Sherling and Lovett were named to the all-tournament team.

The seventh-grade girls, who had defeated Newbern 23-7 on Friday, disposed of Valdosta 35-25 to reach the championship game of their tournament held at the Eighth Stret Middle School gymnasium in Tifton.

Bria Wallace led Colquitt County with 15 points and sixth-grader Miranda Trim added 13 points.

Brittany Taylor had four and Kanisha Seay and Phatema Wiley each had two.

The victory over Valdosta sent the seventh-grade Lady Packers into the tournament championship game against Tift County, a team they had lost to twice already this season.

And the Lady Devils were not to be denied in their home gymnasium, winning the tournament with a 45-21 victory.

Wallace again led Colquitt County with 12 points. Taylor and Seay each had four points and Wiley added a free throw.

Named to the all-tournament team were Wallace and Seay.

The seventh-grade girls finish their season with a 10-5 record.

Both of the Colquitt County middle school boys teams were eliminated in their first games on Saturday.

The eighth-grade Packers, who advanced by eliminating Newbern on Thursday, lost to Coffee in the semifinals 42-30.

Dominique Pressley led Colquitt County with 10 points.

Jeremy Downs added nine and Trell Stokes, Draoone Hampton and Derrell Ward each had two. Quin Roberson had a free throw.

Pressley was named to the all-tournament team for the Packers, who finish 5-9.

The seventh-grade boys reached the tournament semifinals with a 38-22 victory over Valdosta Middle School on Friday.

On Saturday, the Packers rallied from a 17-point third quarter deficit to force overtime, only to fall 50-46 to Newbern.

“In the first half, we couldn’t throw it in the ocean,” seventh-grade boys coach Craig Pitts said. “We played better in the second half, like we always do.”

The Packers were led by Cole Pitts, who had 15 points. Gary Thomas had 13 points and Cornelius James had 13.

Trey DeBruce added three and Tevin King and Quan Daniels each had two points.

Cole Pitts, who had 34 points in the two tournament games, was named to the all-tournament team.

The seventh-grade Packers finish with a 10-4 record.

Tift County defeated Newbern to win the seventh-grade tournament championship.