Rallies come up short for Bobcats
Last week proved to be a tough one for the Georgia Northwestern Bobcats as they endured three losses and fell to 2-6 overall on the season.
Last Tuesday, GNTC led 26-20 at halftime, but a 3-point barrage in the second half would help give the Tennessee Wesleyan JV Bulldogs a 64-44 win in Athens.
A 3-pointer by freshman Jarret Gill would briefly tie the score at 39 apiece with 7:30 remaining, but four threes by the hosts would provide some breathing room late. The Bobcats would run out of steam down the stretch as they connected on just one basket and one free throw in the final six minutes of the game.
Gill had 12 points to lead Georgia Northwestern. He also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists, while his ex-trion High teammate, Jayce Harris, had an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double.
J. T. Langford scored eight points and collected seven boards, while eight points from Jeremy Wilson, three from Cole Mckeehan and two from Justin Smith rounded out the scoring.
On Thursday, back at home at the Rossville Athletic Center, the visiting Covenant College JV team forged a 39-33 lead at halftime, stretched it out in the early part of the second half and staved off a Bobcat rally late to score a 74-63 victory.
Georgia Northwestern sliced the lead down to 59-56 with 4:48 left to play, but got no closer as the Scots pulled away for the victory.
Harris led the Bobcats with 17 points, while Gill had 13 points. The duo also combined for 15 total rebounds. Langford had eight points and six rebounds. Mark Chester dropped in seven points, while Wilson, Mckeehan and Kannen Derryberry all finished with six points apiece.
Then on Saturday, back at the R.A.C., the Bobcats saw a late rally fall short as they lost to visiting Southeastern Baptist College from Laurel, Miss., 76-68.
The Bobcats led by as many as 11 points in the first half before taking a 32-25 lead into the break. However, the home team would sputter on offense for a good portion of the second half, which allowed the Chargers to come all the way back to take a 10-point lead with seven minutes remaining.
GNTC’S rally began with a 3-pointer by Mckeehan with 6:42 to play as the Bobcats slowly but surely begin to chip away at the lead. A dunk by Harris off an assist from Langford, was fol- lowed by a 3-point play from Langford, which cut the Chargers’ lead to 68- 66 with 1: 28 remaining.
However, the Bobcats would score just two more points the rest of the way as the Chargers connected on 8-of-8 free throws in the final 2:58 to salt it away.
Harris led the Bobcats with 16 points. Derryberry connected on four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points. Smith went for 11 points, while Langford and Wilson both finished with seven. Gill had six points. Chester had four points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Mckeehan’s trey accounted for all of his points on the day.