Showdown in T-Town

TIFTON — Tift County and Valdosta High were both picked to finish near the top of the boys’ Region 1-AAAAA standings by most fans this season.

Tonight, the Blue Devils (10-2, 20-3) and Wildcats (11-1, 19-2) will battle for the regular season region title.

The Wildcats would clinch the region title with a win tonight, and the Blue Devils would claim the league championship with a victory tonight and a win on the road at Houston County Friday night.

If the latter scenario occurs, the teams would tie for the No. 1 spot.

Tift would need the Coffee to finish ahead of Warner Robins for the Blue Devils to claim the title, otherwise, Valdosta would be the No. 1 seed for the region tournament.

Valdosta swept the Demons, while Tift split with Warner Robins.

Valdosta’s only region loss of the season came against Coffee at home in December. The Blue Devils swept the Trojans in the regular season.

The Blue Devils got a huge road win on Saturday in Ashburn with a 61-47 win over Turner County.

Breon Dixon had a huge game in his return to the Turner County Civic Center. The junior center had 24 points — including 14 in the fourth quarter alone. Dixon also had several rebounds and blocks and a huge dunk near the end of the game.

“It was a statement game for him. He had something to prove,” Tift head coach Eric Holland said after the game.

“He was the best player on the floor tonight.”

Dixon and DD Jackson did not start the game, but entered the contest with 3:51 to go in the first quarter to loud boos from the Rebel faithful.

Holland and assistant coach Jason Clark also heard boos from the crowd throughout the night.

“We knew it would be hostile,” Holland said.

After a fourth-quarter 3-pointer by Tay Edwards gave Turner its first lead since the three minute mark of the fourth quarter, Dixon went to work.

Dixon would score the next eight points, giving Tift a 46-41 lead, and essentially shutting the door on the scrappy Rebels.

The Blue Devils will need another huge effort from Dixon tonight against the Cats.

Valdosta has the reigning Region Player of the Year in Jay Rome, who averages well over 20 points per game.

In a 56-46 Valdosta win on Jan. 16, Rome scored 32 points — including two 3-point baskets.

Rome also owned the glass in the first game, leading the Wildcats to the win.

“Valdosta is the hardest playing team I have seen in 10 years coaching,” Holland said.

“They don’t play helter-skelter out there, they run and jump to press, and coach (Rufus) McDuffie is the master of the press.”

Dixon leads Tift in points, rebounds and blocked shots. The junior averages 13.3 points per game, 5.2 blocks per game and 11 rebounds per contest.

Vernon Moore is averaging 9.3 points per game, and Colby Neloms averages 7.2 points per game and six assists per contest.

The boys game will tip off after the girls’ contest at 6 p.m. The game can be heard on WTIF-FM (107.5) beginning at 5:45 p.m.

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