Lady Devils’ camp prepares current, future players
Published 3:12 pm Wednesday, June 11, 2025
- Becky Taylor/The Tifton Gazette Tift County Lady Devils players at coaches at their three-day basketball camp last week.
TIFTON — Current and future Tift County Lady Devils got a jump start on their season preparations via a three-day camp held by high school head coach Julie Conner-Johnson last week.
Though the three days were busy, Conner-Johnson said, “We’re taking it slow and easy.”
Fundamentals were a big part of the camp, with Conner-Johnson and fellow coaches Ricky Frambo, Anthony Dennard and Getoya Cobb working on everything from defense, free throw shooting, layups and passing to footwork. Passing was a big feature on the first day, with one of the highlights being players running weave drills with one or no dribbles in going the length of the floor.
Becky Taylor/The Tifton Gazette
This dribble by Amira Jordan is the only one for three Lady Devils in getting the ball from end of the floor to the other on a fast break. Jordan’s next step is to pass to a sprinting Jaziyah Johnson, who will throw a long pass in stride for a layup.
Camp was open to players in grades 6-12.
Beyond the walls of TCHS, the Lady Devils have a busier month of June. Last week, they went to Valdosta State and Moultrie for events and earlier this week was one at the College of Coastal Georgia.
This weekend, they head to Emerson and the Lake Pointe complex for two days of competition. More play dates follow against Ware County and Monroe. A Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp finishes the month.
Sidelined during camp was Mariyah Batts. Batts, Region 1-6A’s Newcomer of the Year as a freshman two years ago, is recovering from a knee injury.
Becky Taylor/The Tifton Gazette
Mackenzie Holliday practices free throw shooting, part of the emphasis on fundamentals at the 2025 Lady Devils basketball camp.
Though unable to practice physically, she was far from a spectator, helping run drills. Batts assured she’d be ready for the start of 2025-26.
