THOMASVILLE — It wasn’t easy, but Thomasville’s boys basketball team made it to the championship round of its Holiday Hoopfest tournament.

Down by 11 at the half — and by 13 at one point — the Bulldogs kept pace with Class 6A Coffee, eventually surpassing them with a late fourth quarter run for a 64-54 win on Tuesday night. Thomasville’s girls team also secured a win on the night, defeating Worth County 38-24.

The boys will play Potters House Christian in the title game, which is slated for tipoff Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.

The Bulldogs kept up with the Trojans throughout the majority of the first half, with under five points separating the two in the second quarter, both teams exchanging the lead three times. Coffee grabbed the advantage as the first half drew to a close, beginning a 14-3 run assisted by back-to-back scores, one off a steal, from Jarquavius Jefferson. At the half, Thomasville trailed 34-23, looking to make adjustments and get back into the game quickly.

“It was all about our kids understanding what we want defensively,” Thomasville boys coach Ben Tillman said. “I think they finally figured it out. We had to draw it up at halftime and let them understand that they need to keep the ball in front of them.” 

The changes seemed to do the trick, as the Bulldogs quickly began to climb back, eventually tying the game at 37 in the third with a three-point play on a layup and free throw from Titus Wright. However, Coffee was clinging to a slim 42-39 lead as the fourth began.

After spending some time throughout the fourth knocking at the door, Thomasville finally broke through with a 11-3 run to end the game, capped off by a Reggie Perry dunk in the final minutes.

Perry led his team with 25 points, with Wright following with 13.

“I think my kids grew up just a little bit more tonight,” Tillman said. “Having the tenacity to get back in the ballgame after being down 13 points, that says a lot about your team’s character. We’ve just to continue to do what we do, and maybe when region time comes, we’ll be mature enough that we can get these kinds of wins.” 

The girls began their game much like the boys, with a close 9-7 lead after the first quarter. Thomasville essentially put the game away in the second quarter of what ended up being a low-scoring contest, with a 11-0 run for an 18-7 advantage.  

After Tre’Oncia Andrews connected on a 3-pointer with 1:30 left in the period, the Bulldogs were in command with a 22-9 lead. Thomasville was up 24-11 at halftime, and led for the rest of the game. 

Andrews and Zoey Jackson tied for the team lead in points on the night with 10 each.

The girls will have a chance to complete a sweep of their slate of Hoopfest games on Wednesday, as they will take on East Gadsden at 7:00 p.m.