(Gadsden, AL) - A finalist for last year's best prep basketball player in the Heart of Dixie dropped 22 on Georgia Northwestern tonight in the Cardinals' nest leading D-I program Gadsden State to a 109-68 win Thursday.
6-foot-1 Taylor Adams helped Gadsden State (11-3) take off to a huge 60-29 lead at the intermission. Adams was the State Tournament Most Valuable Player off a Section H.S. (AL) squad that won their division's state title last winter.
The Lady Cats (6-7) was lead by freshman guard Kiarra Parks who cleaned the Cardinal nets for 19 points. GNTC post player Odessa Person added 15 points, 13 rebounds, and three steals in the road loss. Summerville, Georgia-native Mariah Price contributed 16 points.
Georgia Northwestern long-range gunners sophomore Emily Cole and freshman Sierra Smith went cold on the road shooting 2-of-12 from beyond the arc Thursday. The outside duo combined for only six points in the effort.
"This was our first action after the break and we really came out rusty," said Georgia Northwestern Women's Head Basketball Coach Jim Williams. Gadsden (State) is a quality program and they have done a good job these past two years getting us ready for our region play.
The defending NJCAA Region XVII Champs begin their title run Saturday against Southern Crescent Tech (GA) at 6 p.m. at the Winthrop-King Center in Rome, Georgia.
Both the Lady Cats and Bobcats will play together Saturday in the event with Southern Crescent. The Bobcats (5-8) tip things off at 4 p.m. The games are part of the college's Breast Cancer Awareness push. "We are really looking forward to this," said Williams. "Just a very special day all around."
The battle with both Tiger squads traveling up from Griffin, Georgia will be the first region play for both teams in the 2012-13 season.
For more information on Bobcat Athletics, contact the Office of Sports Information at
dfoley@gntc.edu or
706.764.3813. Georgia Northwestern is a member of NJCAA Region XVII and a Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia.
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Georgia Northwestern (68) - Jones, Cole 3, Nichelson 8, Odessa Person 15, Kiarra Parks 19, Flaherty 2, Mariah Price 16, Mostella 2, Smith 3.
Gadsden State (109) - Stahl 9, Jasmyne Reeves 10, Huckabee 6, Jasmine Looney 10, Shyene Turner 11, Buchanan 9, Ward 5, Taylor Adams 22, Hughley 9, Kayla Beaty 10, Crabtree 2, Parker 6.
Halftime Score: 60-29, Gadsden State