MOULTRIE – Winning can be contagious. Only, Colquitt County High boys basketball has had a hard time, for the longest time, catching on to what’s plagued the Packer football program to become state champions, state runners-up and even state semifinalists. With overall records that look more like calendar dates over the past 10 years (only two ‘Novembers’ in 2007 and 2009), just reaching the .500 level would be the start of a major hoops program revival.

For Andy Harden, soon to begin his fourth season as Colquitt Packers head varsity coach, this is the season tagged as taking the next step. Yes, it wouldn’t bother him to wait a month for some important pieces to be ready for the hardwood. When that happens, the target date in 2017 is circled: Feb. 10, playing for the Region 1-7A tournament championship, and knowing that at least one state playoff game will be in the new second-year gym and William Bryant Court.

“We took a step last year,” said Harden about a season that again wouldn’t look good from a distance, 7-16, but was 4-4 in a more stacked region. “Making the state playoffs, we lost at the buzzer to North Cobb (as a third seed). So we are right there on the cusp of making a run. I think with the team we have coming back, we have what it takes to make a run.

“I know we were excited this summer. We were really focused. Some kids have really come a long way.”

When Colquitt County played its preseason scrimmage at home against Brooks County on Thursday, naturally some football players were not in uniform because those playoffs are just beginning. Among those who did suit up is an All-Region forward named DaNas Andrews.

“(He) has really turned it on,” said Harden, a former coach at Worth County High. “His brother Jy has really turned into a good basketball player.

“If we had an MVP this summer, it would have been DeNas Andrews. He’s got rebounding, scoring, just all-around. The way he comes to practice. The way he came to workouts this summer. I’m extremely excited about watching him his senior year.”

The missing ‘captain’ of the Packer hardwood is junior point guard Cam Singletary, also a football wideout. He was All-Region as a sophomore and started as a freshman.

“What makes Cameron so different is his ability to get to the basket whenever he wants,” said Harden. “But also getting to the basket and making other people better. Cameron can create shots for other people, but can also create shots for himself. He’s very knowledgeable of the game. He’s very competitive and takes pride in what he does.”

DaNas is one of three seniors for the Packers. The others are Tyrese King and Trent Roberts. King made All-Region last season.

“King has worked extremely hard this summer,” said Harden. “He’s a pure shooter who’s made sure he’s going to take advantage of his senior year. He has an attitude that’s a pleasure to work with.

“Roberts … We had a fan come and watch us practice the other day. They asked if that was the same Roberts kid who played last year. Trent has a confidence level in basketball he’s never had before because of his work paying off.”

Junior Quentin Dopson is a junior Harden said enhanced his game in the offseason, establishing himself as an active offensive rebounder. Jy Andrews, he said, brings a “balcony” personality to the team. That means he’s always going to have a good day, and he hates to lose more than he likes to win.

“We have a really close basketball team,” said Harden, who will also look for Jarvis Christopher’s return and contributions from Kaleb Dawson.

“We don’t have any bigs, but we are a hard-nosed defensive basketball team. We will push the ball on the offensive end, get it up and down the court. I trust their decisions in the full court, and if we don’t have anything, we’ll run a half-court set. We are going to take good shots and get after your tail on the defensive end.”

So Harden sees no reason why these Packers can’t reach that goal of hosting in the state playoffs. The Region 1-7A tournament is at Lowndes, and it’s only a six-game schedule of games that matter.

“I think Tift County has a good team,” said Harden about the program that celebrated a state title a few seasons back. “I think going in they are going to be the team to beat. Then I think it’s a toss up on who they are going to play in that championship game. I think we have as good a chance as anybody else.”

LADY PACKERS

Colquitt County High girls basketball under Rondesha Williams, varsity coach since 2008, has more of a winning heritage of late, reaching the Sweet 16 and placing second in region last season. That postseason saw Williams surpass 150 wins in her Colquitt career, but every season brings about change.

Line up her roster this season, and about every Lady Packer can look eye to eye. They were victorious in Thursday’s preseason scrimmage with Brooks County, and what Williams saw is what she will expect all season. She time and again goes back to her ‘Big 3.’

“We are missing two big bodies,” said Williams about what graduation took away from 2015-16. “We have Kiarra Lovett in there, but she’s a real small post player. She has to play with a lot of heart. You can’t teach heart. We have Chyna Calhoun coming off the bench as a role player. She stepped up well and did great things.

“We have to find more depth in our bench. We are relying on (the big 3 of) Diamond Hall, Za’Nautica Downs and Akia Sutton, but we need some more people to step up and be ready to play defense and make easy lay-ups.”

Williams called Hall the “leader” and Sutton the “leader on defense.” She called Sutton’s defense “tough” and “tenacious.”

“Once those three get going, everybody’s going to follow suit,” said Williams. “We are going to rely on playing full-court defense and getting lay-ups. (In the half court), it’s going to be shooting the ball.

“There’s not much difference in their height, but they got some heart. My girls have some big hearts. They’ve been working hard all summer long and in the fall conditioning.”

So if that bench develops and contributions not only come from the three perimeter leaders, the two in the post and others like Tionna Hunt, Abiyah Spencer, Ty’Asia McNeal, Eriyona Stokes and Tim’mya Sanders, the Lady Packers may not only win double figure games for the 14th season in a row, but be region champions for the first time in 25 years.

“Our region is tough,” said Williams, also looking towards the 1-7A tournament. “At the end of the night, it’s going to come down to who wants it the most. Hopefully we want it the most.”