Bobcats collect first win
The Georgia Northwestern Bobcats got in the win column Tuesday night (Nov. 17) with a solid 85-76 victory in Powell, Tenn. against The Crown College.
Georgia Northwestern forced 24 turnovers in the game, 17 coming on steals. They trailed for much of the first half, but Brian Griffin and Micah Wheeler combined to score 11 points in the final two minutes of the half as the Bobcats fought back to forge a 43-42 halftime lead.
A 7-0 run to start the second half provided the cushion the Bobcats would need as the Crusaders never got closer than five points the rest of the night.
Georgia Northwestern’s perimeter defense also stepped up after the break. After shooting 5 of 11 (46 percent) from behind the 3-point arc in the opening half, Crown was held to 2 of 18 (11 percent) in the second half.
Sophomore Darrius Fugh had another huge game for the Bobcats. The 6-foot-5 swing man from Rome, Ga. made just one 3-pointer on the night, but went 6 of 14 from the floor and a near-perfect 13 of 14 from the free throw line
to finish with a teamhigh 26 points. He also filled his stat sheet with five rebounds and four steals.
Junior center Andrew Johnson turned in a 12-point, 10-rebound doubledouble, while gunner Clynt Bell finished with 10 points and collected four steals. Griffin added eight points, while Wheeler and Alec Rattanaxay had seven points each.
Daniel Parrish and Demonte Parker both chipped in with six points, while Patrick Simmons rounded out the scoring with three.
Georgia Northwestern (1-2) will not take the court again until Dec. 1 when they host the junior varsity squad from Bryan College at 7:30 p.m. The Bobcats faced the JV Lions twice last season, winning 66-51 at home and claiming an 83-64 win in Dayton, Tenn.
Next Thursday’s game will mark the first of five straight home games in a 12-day span for the Bobcats. Georgia Northwestern plays its home games at the Rossville Athletic Center (301 Williams Street) and all of its home games are broadcast on WAAK 94.7 FM.
The Lady Bobcats will try and snap a season-opening fourgame losing streak when they host Trinity Baptist College of Florida Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. They will open the Dec. 1 doubleheader against Bryan’s JV at 5:30 p.m.