T’Kayshza King (12, showing guarding Vanity Golson in a previous game with Tift) has been one of Fitzgerald’s top players in 2016-17. The school, which went 20 years without girls basketball, is becoming a contender under head coach Earl Brown.

TIFTON — The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane basketball teams come to Tift County Monday night for a pair of basketball games.

A tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the games will also be a matchup between some of the top teams in the southern half of the state. The girls’ contest will feature a Tift team that goes into the weekend with 12 wins and a Fitzgerald team that was undefeated until Tuesday night.

Fitzgerald’s hot start may seem like just another South Georgia school showing its basketball prowess, but it’s a historical first.

The start is what head coach Earl Brown has been looking for, but for the town and program, it means much, much more.

Fitzgerald started 9-0 this season, which Brown said was their best ever. The streak ended there, however, courtesy of Tuesday’s 71-57 upset by Berrien. They will have a chance for revenge tonight against Albany at home before heading to Early County Saturday.

The Lady Purple Hurricane are no longer underdogs, a remarkable turnaround for a school that went 20 years without fielding a team at all.

Boys’ only basketball in high schools was not exactly uncommon, but mostly limited to major cities, such as Savannah, Columbus and Macon.

Fitzgerald was an anomaly of South Georgia, the only area program without girls’ basketball.

It was not always the case.

The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane had an active girls team through the end of the 1956-57 season. In the weeks prior to the beginning of the 1957-58 campaign, the school made an announcement.

Girls’ basketball was cancelled.

Among the reasons given was the belief that competitive basketball was harmful for females. Fitzgerald was far from alone in its reasoning; Savannah dropped the sport for girls during the same era, citing similar beliefs. A promise was made to start intramural teams.

But so shuttered the sport in Fitzgerald then popularly referred to as ‘cage.’

The boys would go on, the Hurricane advancing to the state semifinals in 1960. Even girls would go on, too. In 1962, most of the Class AA girls’ tournament, including finals, was held at Fitzgerald High. The locals, however, were not allowed to compete, having no squad.

The ban was finally lifted in 1978, when the sport was reintroduced in a completely new world. Gone were the days of three-on-three, or even the transitional rover period as the girls’ sport modernized to five-on-five.

Fitzgerald was junior varsity for the first year, then back into the varsity ranks.

Success would not come easy.

The junior varsity went winless in 1978-79. The varsity won its second ever game (39-33 over St. George), but few others in that year, or the years after.

Fitzgerald again dropped the girls’ program to a junior varsity status for a single season in 1984-85. It would not be until 1989 they qualified for their first state tournament. Eleven more would pass until their second. Under Colandra Copeland in 2006, the Lady Canes won their first ever state game, a 55-46 upset over Mitchell-Baker. It remains their only win in state.

“We’re still playing catch-up,” said Brown.

Area fans might argue that they are already there.

Brown is no stranger to the program, having played for Jack Gibbs on the 1988 boys’ team that finished as state runners-up.

“Even when I was in school,” he said, “we would win one game.”

During the last two seasons, Brown has combined for a 30-7 record, including 21 wins last year.

The nine wins to open the season was a school record streak and Fitzgerald has a great shot at winning a region championship. That, said Brown, would also be a first.

“We’re reaching for milestones,” he said.

Another first came at the end of the year, a 101-23 win over Irwin County, the first ever time over the century mark. The state ranking was, too. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution considered the Lady Canes the No. 4 team in Class AA in its latest weekly rankings.

It has been a balanced team that has rocketed Fitzgerald.

Kirstin Crook and T’Kayshza King are both scoring in double figures every game. A third player, Trinity Jones, was also scoring at that rate, but Brown said she was out with a broken hand. He is hoping that she will be back in three weeks. Both Crook and King have been starting since they were freshmen.

Brown credits the attitude of his players towards his goal of building a program.

“They answered the call,” he said. “The kids are not selfish.”

Part of it has been their bond off the court. Brown said the players are always together outside the gym.

Assistant coaches and the board of education also got Brown’s praise.

He is building away from basketball, too, with his players.

“I’m looking for the whole person,” he said.

Brown said one of his “proudest moments” is having five honor students.

“Education is No. 1,” he said.

The success is paying off, not just for the players, but for the community. The stands have been full for their games, Brown said.

As for the next step? A region championship and a deeper state run.

“It would be huge for the community,” he said