TIFTON — After weeks of non-region basketball games, stakes rise for Tift County High teams on Jan. 4, 2025. Lowndes arrives and the Region 1-6A schedule begins.

‘They’re going to be good,” said Blue Devils leader Tommy Blackshear of Lowndes’ 8-5 Vikings. Blackshear extended that credit to the rest of 1-6A as well. Colquitt County is sizzling at 7-2, with Valdosta at 8-5, Camden County 6-6 and Richmond Hill 5-6.

“It’s going to be a tough region,” he said. Camden won 1-7A last year, though they fell in the first round of state.

Tift is 8-3, two of those to Florida teams. They made up for it over the weekend, thoroughly smashing Lanier County and Cook. They also had a big win in Westover, a team they’ve struggled against in recent seasons.

The Blue Devils are a still-developing crew, but are making up for any offense difficulties by allowing 39.5 points on defense. That’s the best of any 1-6A team by a good margin.

Kaden Lawson, J.J. Lamar and Cordell Nelson have been handling most of the scoring duties. Nelson and Lamar are also fearsome in the defensive paint, always ready to swat a shot or pull down a rebound.

Blackshear also has Rio Brewton, whose name doesn’t show up as often as a leader in points, but he’s established himself as a must-have player on the floor.

“Rio is our energy guy,” Blackshear said. “He tries really hard.” Brewton does everything well, handling the ball, defense and has a nice shot. Brewton could score more, but Blackshear is pleased as much of a team player he is.

Tift’s Lady Devils are 6-5, but the record is a bit deceptive. Injuries cost Jimmya Cushion and Jalaya Miller the first few games of the year. Both are back and Miller was excellent Saturday against Appling County, sizzling for 19 points in three quarters.

Miller’s shot was working inside and out, with Appling unable to do anything to stop it. Cushion is continuing to warm up, surpassing 1,000 career points.

In their stead, Mackenzie Holliday, Jaziyah Johnson, Makayla Bryant, Ashanti Dixon and Mariyah Batts have been putting up the most points.

Lowndes will enter at 10-1, with only a two-point loss to Tallahassee’s Rickards to mar their record. The Vikettes are currently ranked by Score Atlanta.

Region 1-7A champs for 2023-24, Lowndes is coming off a final four season. Like Tift, they recently honored a 1,000-point scorer, Kaci Demps.

Girls region will be as tough as the boys. Colquitt is 10-1 with a tournament loss to Lowndes as their blemish. Richmond Hill is 9-2, Camden 9-3, with Valdosta 8-6.

Following Lowndes, Tift has home non-region games against Veterans on Jan. 7. They will be Camden Jan. 10, then come home for Richmond Hill Jan. 11. Because of distance, the latter has a special start time of 2 p.m.