What many are calling the best squad Georgia Northwestern has had to date took a tough first loss of the 2009-2010 season in Carrollton on Saturday, falling to West Georgia Tech, 92-65.
The Mustangs (3-1) were down 21 points at the half. “We just weren’t there,” said Georgia Northwestern men’s head basketball coach David Stephenson. “Nothing was going our way. We made adjustments to stop some key players. But it just didn’t hold.”
The adjustment Stephenson was referring to was that of assigning West Georgia’s leading scorer, Courtney Farris, to Mustang reserve player, Vance Loveless.
Farris scored 32 points in the season opener at Georgia Northwestern in what was then a losing effort for the Golden Knights (2-2). Loveless, a former region 100-meter dash champion out of Ringgold High School, hounded Loveless holding him to two points while he was on the court. “Problem was that when he was on the bench, their guy put up 32 more points,” said Stephenson.
Armuchee High School’s all-time leading scorer, Kyle Wilson, led the Mustangs in the effort with 17 on the day. Dade County grad, Jesse Moore added 14 in the effort.
Georgia Northwestern is off for the Christmas Break and will return on January 9 for a home game at the R.A.C. versus Hiwassee College. The Mustangs made school history last year versus the Tigers by beating their first four-year college opponent in a tough road game in Madisonville, Tn.
The Mustangs also have a schedule change to note. Georgia Northwestern’s home and away games with East Georgia College have swapped sites. The Jan. 16 game scheduled to be on the road in Swainsboro, Ga., will now be at home at the Rossville Athletic Center. The Feb. 13 game scheduled to be at home at the RAC will now be held in Swainsboro.
For more information, email the GNTC Mustang basketball office at basketball@gntc.edu.
West Georgia (92) – S. Thompson 2, Nicholaus Mikell 15, Justin Poole 17, Highbear 9, Balson 2, Courtney Farris 34, D Beasley 5, Mickelson 2.
Georgia Northwestern (65) – Davis 4, Tibbs 3, Kyle Wilson 17, Loveless, Perie Finley 10, Jesse Moore 14, Nic Perry 11, Koneman 6.
Halftime 48-27