TIFTON — Tift County’s Lady Devils were 22-6 in 2022-23, runners-up in Region 1-6A and making it to the second round of the state basketball tournament.

Head coach Julie Conner might want to start the 2023-24 campaign now, as hot as her team was over June, taking on squads from all corners of the state.

Like other sports, the Lady Devils have had a few play dates this summer against other teams, including in Albany.

“We had a great day at Monroe,” said Conner. Monroe is going to be getting plenty of attention over the next few seasons. Freshman K.J. Acree, who Conner described as “phenomenal,” already has been offered by the University of South Carolina. Monroe had more points in the 1st half, but with Jalaya Miller playing Acree in a box-and-one, the Lady Devils turned the tables in the 2nd half.

There was also a win of about 25 points over Terrell County. Despite not having everyone available, “We just clicked,” she said. “It gave our younger girls a chance to really jump in.”

Conner praised incoming freshman Mackenzie Holliday for her play. She said Makala Horne was solid and dependable during the summer. Jimmya Cushion continues to look sharp, as well as Caitlyn Burgess, Faith Hillmon, Jalaiah Rainey and Jaziyah Johnson.

Younger Tift players are doing well, too. Coach Getoya Cobb’s junior varsity had a 64-2 victory over Bainbridge.

In mid-June, the Lady Devils went to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) camp at Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs. There, they played some of Georgia’s best, including Rabun County. Hillmon and Cushion added individual accolades by winning the free throw competition, with Rainey as runner-up in 3-point shooting.

Despite Lowndes not being on Tift’s schedule last year or for 2023-24, they played at two different locations over the summer. They won in Atlanta, which was “Sweet,” Conner said, “Because it was in front of a lot of college coaches.” There was another win against Lawrenceville’s Archer High, another perennial contender, as well as against Newton.

The roster is mainly filled with familiar names, including that of a transfer.

Burgess has returned to the Lady Devils after a season in Turner County. As a sophomore, Burgess averaged 6 points per game. Last year, Turner’s stats show show contributing 14 points per game during the Lady Titans’ run to the elite eight.

Cushion was the 2022-23 season’s leading scorer, who earned All-State honorable mention honors while scoring 407 points. She still has two seasons to go. Over her first two, she is already halfway to 1,000 at 551 points.

Another player perhaps on the road to the thousand points club is Miller. Also a rising junior, Miller has 241 points points in two seasons, ending the year with a career high 20 against Marist in the second round of the state tournament.