TIFTON — After the first of the Georgia High School Association’s two “dead weeks” takes place next month, a number of Tift County High sports will get into gear with summer practices.

One of the sports expected to be quite busy this summer is boys basketball, where the Blue Devils will be led by new head coach Charles Burkett.

Burkett was hired in late April to take over for the legendary Tommy Blackshear, who retired after two stints with the team.

“He left a pretty historic tradition,” Burkett said.

If any Tift hire could have matched Blackshear’s resume, it’s Burkett, who won state in Alabama at Hoover and is coming off a final four at Central of Phenix City this year. That’s in addition to many other deep runs at state at those two schools and at Saks and Athens.

Of all offers Burkett said he was considering, Tift was “by far the most interesting.” He already knows the area, from playing schools such as Lowndes, and at a tournament at Valdosta. And he knows high-level Georgia basketball. Many of Central’s opponents have hailed from the Atlanta area.

The Blue Devils are expected to return most of their roster from this last season (sans leading scorer J.J. Lamar), but how they play in 2025-26 may look a little different.

Burkett said he likes running uptempo and motion-type offenses, adjusted, of course, to what fits best.  “I will definitely play to the strength of the individual talent,” he said. “Watching some games from last year, I don’t see much change at all.”

In going 18-10 and finishing second in Region 1-6A during the regular season, the Devils averaged 45 points while holding opponents to 43.

“We’ll play uptempo, unselfish basketball, [and] sticky, man-to-man defense.” he said.

For at least one more year, TCHS will be in a region with Colquitt County, Lowndes, Valdosta, Camden County and Richmond Hill. Valdosta was first in the regular season, though Lowndes won the 1-6A tournament.

The Blue Devils go into the season with the longest active state tournament streak in Georgia and the second longest in the state’s history.