Region hoops begin for Tift, Winter Homecoming Jan. 7

Published 4:00 pm Tuesday, January 3, 2023

TIFTON — January is here and so is about to start Phase II of the Tift County high school basketball season. The Blue Devils and Lady Devils open Region 1-6A competition Jan. 6 at Veterans, then make their home debut Jan. 7 against Thomas County Central.

The latter game will be an even more special event. Tift will be celebrating Winter Homecoming.. Like its fall counterpart, all former basketball players and cheerleaders have been invited to make the night special. Junior varsity games start at 3 p.m., with varsity slated to tip at 6 p.m.

Lady Devils head coach Julie Conner is very excited about the Winter Homecoming. Tift has always recognized its alumni but a homecoming of sorts in winter is not something many teams have. Mostly, it’s been limited over the years to schools who do not have football programs.

Winter Homecoming’s committee is Maria Jacobs, Dallas Neloms, Ivey Vickers, Chris Range, Earlletheia Williams and Getoya Cobb.

Conner said this weekend would be quite a region debut for her team, going against arguably two of the best teams in 1-6A.

Veterans is 10-2, with a 66-64 loss Jan. 3 to an equally hot Warner Robins. TCC’s Lady Yellow Jackets have only lost once, too, theirs by a point to Pelham.

“It’s going to be a tough one to start off with,” said Conner. “They’ve beaten some very good teams.” Among those on that list are Lucy Laney and Carrollton.

Still a young program — Veterans High opened in 2010 — the Lady Warhawks have nevertheless been state runners-up once, in 2016, and made the semifinals in 2015.

Conner said film of Veterans reminds her much of Forest Park, a school Tift edged at the Deep South Classic” “Big and long.”

The Lady Devils are coming off an excellent trip to Brookwood, site of the Deep South Classic. They won two of the three games they played, earning 5th place.

While there, they were able to do some team bonding, including a night out at Dave & Buster’s.

On the court, Tift saw the Cushion trio — Jimelyah, O’ashia and Jimmya — continue to put up big numbers. Jalaya Miller also played exceptionally well and the Lady Devils got good work from Faith Hillmon and Jakembre Beckhom on the boards.

Hillmon had to exit early against Wesleyan in the opener, but was fortunately able to play in the other two games. News is not as good for Shermaine Sutton, who has suffered an ankle injury.

Shakiria Chaney scored her 1,000th point as a senior during the 2021-22 season. If Jimmya Cushion keeps up her pace, it will be a very short time before the Lady Devils honor her for the same achievement.

Cushion, a sophomore, scored her 300th career varsity point against Forest Park. She is averaging 14.6 points per game this year, with a high of 30 against Sumter County.

The Blue Devils (8-3) will also have to play their best to jump ahead in Region 1-6A.

Veterans is 9-3, edging Warner Robins, 59-58. They have wins over Peach County and both Northeast and Southwest of Macon. The Warhawks did run into a stumbling block against Lowndes, falling 70-32. Guard William Burroughs has been leading the charge at 15.3 points per game, according to official stats, with Chandler Thomas at 14.6 ppg.

The Yellow Jackets of Thomas County Central are 6-4. There is one opponent in common between they and Tift County — Cook. TCC edged the Hornets 54-49 in Adel.

Tift’s Devils won a 50-43 game over Coffee Jan. 3.