Dougherty Trojans give Colquitt County their first loss of the season

ALBANY — The Dougherty Trojans (5-5) held off a fierce fourth-quarter rally to hand the Colquitt County Packers (7-1) their first loss of the season, securing a 60-56 victory Friday afternoon in the opening game of the U-Save-It Classic at Monroe High School.

The Trojans controlled much of the game, with Head Coach Bakari Bryant rotating players effectively to maintain a balanced attack. Dougherty led 31-20 at halftime, thanks to contributions from Juwuan and Kaleke Jinks, Jaquavus Hallman, and David Burgess.

Heading into the fourth quarter, Dougherty appeared comfortable with a 45-34 lead. However, Colquitt County surged back, led by Marcus Moore and Kanilyn Jones, trimming the deficit to just two points at 52-50 with three minutes remaining.

Kaleke Jinks stepped up in the clutch, scoring 13 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, including a perfect 6-for-6 performance from the free-throw line. His late-game heroics ensured the Trojans held on for the win.

Juwuan Jinks added 13 points, Hallman scored 12, and Burgess contributed eight for Dougherty. Marcus Moore led all scorers with 23 points for the Packers and Jones added 15.

The Trojans will compete next in the Lee County Roundball Classic, facing Camden County (6-3) at 1 p.m. Thursday in Leesburg. The Packers will also play Camden County in their next game, scheduled for January 3.