MOULTRIE — Even while celebrating his team’s championship in this year’s Colquitt County Roundball Classic, Packers coach Kirven Davis was looking ahead to continuing to make the three-year old tournament a viable one.

Davis started the tournament in his first year as the Packers head coach in 2006 and has been able to bring to some outstanding teams to Moultrie to play in the tournament.

In each of the last three years, the event has run three days in last week of the year and has given hardcore basketball fans in Colquitt County a chance to see some boys and girls teams they would not ordinarily get a chance to watch.

Although economics conspired against him this year and the boys field was not as strong as it was the first two years, Davis hopes to be able to bring in quality teams in the future.

And while a growing tournament will be great for the community and the fans, Davis points out the effect on his players and on the Colquitt County High basketball program he is trying to build.

“This means more to the kids than you could ever know,” he said Thursday after his Packers won three straight games to capture the tournament title for the first time.

Davis was especially pleased that there was a good turnout for the Colquitt County boys game against Mt. Zion of Jonesboro that began about 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve, and was not finished until after 10 p.m.

“To have that many people hang around, it means something,” Davis said.

This year’s tournament drew nine girls and nine boys teams.

The Westover girls played one game and Camden County came in from Kingsland to play two.

The Central High of Miami boys team pulled out at the last minute, but Davis was able to get Baker County High to fill its position in the bracket.

The tournament featured teams Stockbridge High, Mt. Zion of Jonesboro, Savannah and Camden County in addition to the South Georgia schools.

The Dougherty, Westover, Albany, Monroe and Lee County girls teams took part as did the Monroe, Mitchell County, Miller County and Lee County boys.

Davis said other schools expressed interest in participating, but he was unable to fit them into the schedule after it was set.

The Peach State Classic held at Morehouse College was not held this year, leaving several schools looking for tournaments to enter.