The regular season is complete, and now the time has come for the high school rendition of the “big dance” that captures the hearts of collegiate basketball fans in the spring. Although playing a majority of the state tournament in February, the GHSA feeds into March Madness in its own way, crowning state champions throughout Georgia in the first week of March.
This year, the tournament will be held at Lee County High School in Leesburg, Georgia, and is set to begin on Tuesday, February 9, with region champions being crowned on Friday, February 12. The top four teams advance to the state tournament; being a five-team region, there will be a single-elimination play-in game for both the boys and girls on Tuesday evening.
(The GHSA Class AAAAAA State Playoffs are slated to begin on Tuesday, February 16.)
Boys Basketball
In Region 1-AAAAAA, the consensus appears to give off the aura of a repeat performance for the defending region-champion Tift County Blue Devils. After falling 52-49 in the first round of the state tournament to Newton (Covington, Ga.), the Tift boys have been on a tear, working their way to a regular season that only saw them suffer two losses to out-of-state programs. In fact, the team has not lost to a region opponent since February 8, 2014, against Valdosta High School.
The Blue Devils have run through the region in commanding fashion, hanging an average of 73 points per game on 1-AAAAAA opponents while allowing just a shade over 43 on the defensive end. Expect this performance to continue into the region tournament, with Tift County securing yet another area title in the process.
After an impressive campaign, the Colquitt County Packers are seeded third; it is their first time being in the top three in 15 years. They will open tournament play on Thursday against the Lee County Trojans. On January 19, the Trojans walked away with a two-point win. In the rematch, the results fell the other way, as the Colquitt County pulled out a 60-57 victory.
In typical rivalry manner, the boys’ play-in game this year will pair the Valdosta Wildcats and Lowndes Vikings in a battle for a playoff berth. During the regular season, the teams split their contests. Both teams held strong at home; the Wildcats took the January 16 matchup 47-42, while the Vikings won the Senior Night rematch by a score of 69-63.
Girls Basketball
The Lady Blue Devils of Tift County High School have proven to be just as dominant as their male counterparts, finishing the regular season with a record of 17-8 (6-2 in region play). However, although currently riding a three-game win streak, they have picked up three of their eight regular season losses since January 16. Perhaps more important with the region tournament getting underway is that two of those three recent losses have come at the hands of 1-AAAAAA foes: Lowndes and Colquitt County.
The Vikettes were able to give the Lady Blue Devils a run for their money, posting a 13-point win at home in front of the Lowndes faithful. After dropping a close 48-45 contest to the Lady Packers, the Lady Blue Devils needed extra time to edge out a five-point victory over Lee County on February 5.
With the Vikettes and Lady Packers being the only two region teams to down the Lady Blue Devils this year, it is only fitting that the two will now have to face each other for the opportunity to hopefully battle Tift once again. During the regular season, the teams split their games; ironically, it was the road that proved to be favorable in both instances. Colquitt traveled to Valdosta and defeated the Vikettes, 77-74, in their first matchup on January 8; Lowndes returned the favor, blasting Colquitt County, 66-44, in Moultrie on January 23.
Valdosta and Lee County finished the season fourth and fifth respectively, and will compete in the girls’ play-in game for the right to face first-place Tift County on Thursday evening. The Lady Cats narrowly fell out of contention for a top spot following their loss to Tift County on February 6, ending the year just ahead of the Lady Trojans, who went winless in region play.
2015-2016 Region 1-AAAAAA Final Standings
Girls Basketball
Tift County (17-8, 6-2)
Lowndes (16-8, 5-3)
Colquitt County (16-9, 5-3)
Valdosta (12-13, 4-4)
Lee County (10-15, 0-8)
Boys Basketball
Tift County (23-2, 8-0 in Region)
Lee County (11-14, 4-4)
Colquitt County (7-13, 4-4)
Lowndes (14-11, 3-5)
Valdosta (9-15, 1-7)
Region Tournament Schedule
Girls
(4) Valdosta vs. (5) Lee County – Tuesday, February 9 @ 6:00 p.m. (Play-In Game)
(2) Lowndes vs. (3) Colquitt County – Thursday, February 11 @ 4 p.m.
Valdosta/Lee County vs. (1) Tift County – Thursday, February 11 @ 7:00 p.m.
Region Championship Game – Friday, February 12 @ 7:00 p.m.
(Winner of Valdosta/Lee County vs. Tift County will play the winner of Lowndes vs. Colquitt County)
Boys
(4) Lowndes vs. (5) Valdosta – Tuesday, February 9 @ 7:30 p.m. (Play-In Game)
(2) Lee County vs. (3) Colquitt County – Thursday, February 11 @ 5:30 p.m.
Valdosta/Lowndes vs. (1)Tift County – Thursday, February 11 @ 8:30 p.m.
Region Championship Game – Friday, February 12 @ 8:30 p.m.
(Winner of Valdosta/Lowndes vs. Tift County will play the winner of Colquitt County/Lee County)
Web Content
Region 1-AAAAAA Basketball Tournament
The “Second Season” Set to Begin Tuesday in Lee County
By James A. Washington
Photo courtesy of Marque “Milla” Reese
