THOMASVILLE — Even without a tournament title, the 10th annual CNS/Reebok Holiday Hoopfest was a smashing success for Thomasville.

With the Bulldogs advancing to the championship game, tickets for Wednesday night’s championship game became the hottest thing in town. Fans were lined up outside the MacIntyre Park Middle School gym prior to the start of the girls’ championship game, which Lowndes won 55-47, unable to get inside the already packed house.

Thomasville coach Tyrone Kellogg said the Hoopfest is gaining popularity every year.

“I think the past 2-3 years people are starting to see the Hoopfest as a permanent fixture in the holiday season,” Kellogg said. “The last couple of years the attendance has gotten higher and higher as people see it as being permanent. People are always asking, ‘When is Hoopfest?’

“It’s just something that after Christmas, it’s a good thing for a family to get out and watch a game together.”

With the increased popularity, Kellogg believes comes better play on the court — a direct correlation between crowd size and player energy.

“The fact is that having crowds helps the kids,” Kellogg said. “I think the larger the crowd, the harder the kids play. It gives our extra kids an extra push.”

Despite falling 81-77 in overtime to Westover, Thomasville did feed off the homecourt advantage created by a boisterous crowd.

The Bulldogs trailed the entire second half before rallying in the last minute to tie the game and sent the crowd into a frenzy, some even dashing onto the court in joy.

That enthusiasm is something Kellogg hopes remains for the remainder of the regular season.

He even admitted to high aspirations for Thomasville’s home gym — to become a scaled-down version of Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium.

“That type of atmosphere in our own gym, where there is yelling and screaming and that crowd noise,” Kellogg stated as his goal for the atmosphere surrounding a Thomasville home game. “Even just the noise on the little things, like a shot or a charge, I think it is starting to catch on, from watching those games, they are aware of how they are supposed to act. They know how to ignite the kids and I hope it continues to grow.

“I would really love to see the passion for basketball continue to flourish here in Thomasville.”

While the crowd helped spur the Bulldogs (13-2) into a comeback, the large crowd presence also played into Westover’s hands. According to Kellogg, the Patriots are used to playing in front of a frenzied crowd in a high-stakes game such as a tournament championship. Of course, with increasing support, the Bulldogs could soon be veterans in such situations as well.

“I really hope they can continue to come out and support us for the rest of the regular season,” Kellogg said. “I feel if we can continue to get that support and playing in front of big crowds will help our kids for the region tournament and the playoffs with big-game experience.”