MOULTRIE — Those who went to the Gladys Espy Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday morning for the game between the ninth-grade basketball teams from Colquitt County and Valdosta could not complain about lack of scoring.

Lack of defense, maybe, in the 66-64 Packers victory, but not lack of offense.

Both teams scored in double-digits in all four quarters and Valdosta kept finding a way to stay in game despite deficits of 12 points in the first quarter, 13 in the second and 14 with less than four minutes left in the game.

The freshman Packers appeared to have finally shaken the Wildcats when a Jeremy Downs free throw gave them a 65-51 lead with 4:11 remaining.

But the Wildcats ripped off the game’s next 12 points to close to within two points with 46 seconds left.

But Valdosta got no closer as the team swapped free throws down the stretch.

The freshmen Packers, who defeated Thomasville 52-50 on Thursday in their season-opener, are now 2-0.

Valdosta led at the end of the first quarter 15-2, but the Packers scored 24 points in the second quarter and led 36-34 at the break.

Colquitt kept the pressure on the Wildcats in the first half of the third quarter, going up 50-37 on a basket by Marcus Spradley with 3:37 left in the period.

But again Valdosta rallied, cutting their deficit to just six later in the quarter.

But when the Wildcats trailed by 14 midway through the fourth quarter, they were unable to climb all the way back.

“Overall, I thought we played pretty well,” said Colquitt County coach Keith Hose. “Everyone’s getting their hands on the ball. Everyone’s just going to have to step up and learn to play this game.

“And my hat’s off to Nathaniel Hill. He’s leading by example and that’s what we need.”

Hill led the Packers with 16 points. Dominique Pressley added 13 and Derrell Ward had 10.

Downs had nine, Quin Roberson seven, Spradley and Amel Magwood had four each and Lawhe Wingfield, Tyrell Wright and Jamari Grier each had two.

The ninth-graders will be off until Wednesday, Nov. 29, when they travel to Valdosta for a rematch with the Wildcats.