All-Region honors to Conner, Cushion

TIFTON — Tift County has announced its 1-6A All-Region basketball players for 2022-23.

Tift’s Lady Devils shared in Coach and Player of the Year honors. Jimmya Cushion was Co-Player of the Year with Kennedy Snead of Lee County, while head coach Julie Conner was Co-Coach of the Year with Randall Owens of Veterans.

The Lady Devils and Veterans split the regular season title in Region 1-6A, though Veterans earned the No. 1 seed because of point differential. The Lady Devils went 22-6 in 2022-23, advancing to the sweet 16 of the state tournament.

Cushion, only a sophomore, averaged 15.1 points per game, with season high of 30 points against Sumter County, which scored 23. That was one of three times during the campaign that she outscored an opponent by herself (Cook, Northside). Cushion was within five points of an opponent’s team score in five other games.

In two seasons, Cushion has 551 points.

First team selections for the Lady Devils were O’ashia Cushion and Jalaya Miller.

Miller, a sophomore, scored 241 points this season. O’ashia Cushion has battled injuries for most of her high school career, but finished with a career high 287 points as a senior.

Tommy Blackshear, head coach of the Blue Devils, said his first team picks were Will Clark and Tyler Parker. Both are seniors.

Clark transferred in as a junior and led the Devils with 227 points in 2022-23. Parker, a four-year varsity player, netted 170 this year.

Second team selections were Henry Gebhart and Christian Jones for the boys and Jimeylah Cushion and Faith Hillmon for the girls.

Jakembre Beckhom, Trinity Hill, Makayla Bryant, Ty’Quan Mills, Davis Byrnes, McKyler Horne and Kobe Farrie all earned honorable mention.