The story of Caleb Stallings, former GNTC’er and one special young man.
Northwest Georgia – NJCAA’s Georgia Northwestern Bobcat and Lady Cat collegiate varsity basketball programs launched their off-season signing schedule this past week. Among the first two signing their letters of application were Sierra Smith of Armuchee High School in Armuchee, Georgia and Hunter Ivester of Trion High School in Trion, Georgia.
Cats Country adds another signing tomorrow in Cartersville, Georgia. Watch for the latest on this next signing and the many others on the horizon in the next few weeks.
For more information, contact the Georgia Northwestern Office of Sports Information at 706.764.3813 or email to dfoley@gntc.edu.
Bobcats Prepare For Season Six
(Rock Spring, Georgia) – A pair of Georgia Northwestern student-athletes has earned NJCAA All-Region honors for the 2011-2012 season.
Coaches within the NJCAA’s Region XVII selected freshman Bobcat forward Alex Miller to the All-Region First Team squad (Gordon Central) and sophomore Bobcat guard Ben Patton (Dade County) to the All-Region Second Team squad.
Miller, a 6-foot-5 forward from Calhoun, Georgia, was among the region leaders with 14 points and eight rebounds a game during his first year of varsity basketball on the collegiate level. Patton, a 5-foot-10 shooting guard from Trenton, Georgia, set several records from behind the three-point line this past season.
Patton would lead the region in three-pointers and set a college record for the long-distance strikes in a single game with nine versus Johnson University during a December road game to the Knoxville, Tennessee campus.
“We only lose two players this year in Ben (Patton) and Matt (Woods),” said Georgia Northwestern Men’s Head Basketball Coach David Stephenson. “With student-athletes like Alex already in place for the 2012-13 season, we’ll look really good this year. Recruiting has been very good to us. I plan to have all the new pieces in place by the end of the school year.”
Next season will mark the sixth year of student-athletics at Georgia Northwestern. For more information on Bobcat Athletics at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, contact the Office of Sports Information at 706.764.3813 or e-mail to dfoley@gntc.edu.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College and Bryan College in Chattanooga, TN, have entered into a partnership to promote academic opportunity for students through an articulation of a transfer agreement.
The agreement allows transfer of an associate of applied science degree and related credits from Georgia Northwestern Technical College to the Bryan College Degree Completion Program. The intention of the partnership is to lead to and to promote the awarding of the bachelor of science in Business Administration through Bryan College’s degree completion program.
Under the articulation agreement, students who complete 60 credit hours within the specified associate degree program and transfer curriculum will be granted junior year status upon directly entering Bryan College’s Degree Completion Program. Transfer students in the Degree Completion Program with 60 hours will only need an additional 64 credit hours to complete all academic requirements for the bachelor of science in Business Administration.
Dr. Cathy Vann, associate vice president of Academic Affairs stated, “This agreement will provide graduates of GNTC another opportunity for higher education. The campus locations that both colleges offer, add value to the agreement as well. Bryan has multiple campuses, including two located in Northwest Georgia, one in Whitfield County and the other in Catoosa County. GNTC also has multiple campuses, one located in Whitfield County and another planned to open in Catoosa County.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity for both schools to help students who have completed their coursework at GNTC move on to a bachelor’s degree. Bryan College has been blessed to have GNTC students come into our programs for years, and we look forward to the clarity that this agreement will bring to the process,” stated Benton B. Jones, Chattanooga regional director at Bryan College.
Bryan is a Christian liberal arts college located in Dayton, Tenn., offering 19 undergraduate majors and master’s degrees in Business Administration and Christian Studies. The college has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report for 16 consecutive years as being among the Top Tier of Southern liberal arts colleges.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College serves Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Murray, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties in Georgia with campuses located in Floyd, Gordon, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties. Approximately 26,000 people benefit from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs, making it the largest college in Northwest Georgia and the fourth largest technical college in Georgia.
(Knoxville, TN) – Ringing up more triples than a cashier at Wendy’s, sophomore Bobcat Ben Patton shattered a Georgia Northwestern record for three-pointers Friday night in a road win over Johnson University, 83-78.
While the host squad was hot all across the floor dropping treys at an above-par 48-percent clip, the sophomore sniper from Trenton, Georgia would set a Bobcat record with nine-of-11 shooting from behind the arc as part of his 33 points on the night. He set the previous program record last year with six three-pointers in a game.
The former Dade County standout also set his college record for most points in a half with 27 in the second half Friday night. The original record was set two years ago by Kyle Wilson with 25 in one half versus Freewill Baptist (TN). Wilson is now a junior on the Berry College Men’s Basketball Roster.
Georgia Northwestern (7-10, 0-5) sophomore point guard Matt Woods tied the college record for steals in a game with five. It’s a record he originally set last year against Southern Crescent Tech. Add to that defensive effort a monster block in the paint with little three minutes remaining in the game and Woods had one of his best showings of 2011-12.
Johnson University guards Tyler Griffin, Nick King, and Depew Chase went a combined eight-of-14 from three-point land. However, the hot streak from long-range would subside for Johnson University in the second half as Georgia Northwestern’s Patton would go seven-of-nine from outside in the final twenty minutes.
A week-long home stand at The R.A.C. (Rossville Athletic Complex) kicks-off for the Bobcats on Tuesday as they host Clayton State at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Georgia Northwestern hosts Macon State in a tribute game. At halftime of that game, GNTC will honor the college’s first-ever men’s basketball program and the five-year anniversary of their inaugural season.
— — — — —
Lady Cats Fall At The Buzzer In Instant Classic
In the opener at Johnson University, freshman Lady Cat Emily Cole (Adairsville) had her best game of the season with 10 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and a pair of steals in the non-region contest in Knoxville Friday night. It would be the 18 points of Johnson University’s Ashley Rawls though that would set the pace for a one-point win over the Cats, 58-57.
Sophomore forward Jessica Williams dropped in 13 points and cleaned the boards for 11 rebounds in the road loss. Down three at the half, the Lady Cats would fight to gain a lead in the final ten minutes. However, foul trouble would force the road team to play with only four players for the final four minutes of the game.
Georgia Northwestern (2-13, 2-3) would fight to hold on to the lead until the final three seconds when a backdoor pass gave Johnson a lay-up to take the lead for good. The Lady Cats are off until January 31 when they will host Cleveland State (TN) on January 31 at the Winthrop-King Centre on the campus of Shorter University.
For more information on Bobcat Athletics at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, contact the Office of Sports Information at 706.764.3813 or e-mail to dfoley@gntc.edu.
(30)
Men’s Box Score
Georgia Northwestern (83) – Miller 8, Brandon Pratt 14, Woods 4, Ben Patton 33, Bud Todd 14, Towns, Hill, Jr. 8, Dempsey 2.
Johnson University (78) – Cebastiano Louis 14, Depew Chase 14, Gibson, Nick King 17, Tyler Griffin 22, Bowen, Jr. 4, Noe, Friedman 7.
Halftime: 40-35, Johnson University.
Women’s Box Score
Georgia Northwestern (57) – Emily Cole 10, Morrow 9, Kenisha Watkins 12, Philpot 7, Jessica Williams 13, McGee 6.
Johnson University (58) – Givens 4, Lankford 7, Ashley Rawls 18, McGuirk 8, Chelsea Simbeck 12, Fales 5, Alley 4, Forsythe.
Halftime Score: 27-24, Johnson University.
Cats Road Win Showcases Record-Setting Night by Patton
Lady Cats Fall At The Buzzer In Instant Classic
Cutline: “Dade County, Georgia product Ben Patton set the Georgia Northwestern record for most three-pointers in a game Friday night in a road match-up at Johnson University in Knoxville, Tennessee.”
(Knoxville, TN) – Ringing up more triples than a cashier at Wendy’s, sophomore Bobcat Ben Patton shattered a Georgia Northwestern record for three-pointers Friday night in a road win over Johnson University, 83-78.
While the host squad was hot all across the floor dropping treys at an above-par 48-percent clip, the sophomore sniper from Trenton, Georgia would set a Bobcat record with nine-of-11 shooting from behind the arc as part of his 33 points on the night. He set the previous program record last year with six three-pointers in a game.
The former Dade County standout also set his college record for most points in a half with 27 in the second half Friday night. The original record was set two years ago by Kyle Wilson with 25 in one half versus Freewill Baptist (TN). Wilson is now a junior on the Berry College Men’s Basketball Roster.
Georgia Northwestern (7-10, 0-5) sophomore point guard Matt Woods tied the college record for steals in a game with five. It’s a record he originally set last year against Southern Crescent Tech. Add to that defensive effort a monster block in the paint with little three minutes remaining in the game and Woods had one of his best showings of 2011-12.
Johnson University guards Tyler Griffin, Nick King, and Depew Chase went a combined eight-of-14 from three-point land. However, the hot streak from long-range would subside for Johnson University in the second half as Georgia Northwestern’s Patton would go seven-of-nine from outside in the final twenty minutes.
A week-long home stand at The R.A.C. (Rossville Athletic Complex) kicks-off for the Bobcats on Tuesday as they host Clayton State at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Georgia Northwestern hosts Macon State in a tribute game. At halftime of that game, GNTC will honor the college’s first-ever men’s basketball program and the five-year anniversary of their inaugural season.
— — — — —
In the opener at Johnson University, freshman Lady Cat Emily Cole (Adairsville) had her best game of the season with 10 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and a pair of steals in the non-region contest in Knoxville Friday night. It would be the 18 points of Johnson University’s Ashley Rawls though that would set the pace for a one-point win over the Cats, 58-57.
Sophomore forward Jessica Williams dropped in 13 points and cleaned the boards for 11 rebounds in the road loss. Down three at the half, the Lady Cats would fight to gain a lead in the final ten minutes. However, foul trouble would force the road team to play with only four players for the final four minutes of the game.
Georgia Northwestern (2-13, 2-3) would fight to hold on to the lead until the final three seconds when a backdoor pass gave Johnson a lay-up to take the lead for good. The Lady Cats are off until January 31 when they will host Cleveland State (TN) on January 31 at the Winthrop-King Centre on the campus of Shorter University.
For more information on Bobcat Athletics at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, contact the Office of Sports Information at 706.764.3813 or e-mail to dfoley@gntc.edu.
(30)
Men’s Box Score
Georgia Northwestern (83) – Miller 8, Brandon Pratt 14, Woods 4, Ben Patton 33, Bud Todd 14, Towns, Hill, Jr. 8, Dempsey 2.
Johnson University (78) – Cebastiano Louis 14, Depew Chase 14, Gibson, Nick King 17, Tyler Griffin 22, Bowen, Jr. 4, Noe, Friedman 7.
Halftime: 40-35, Johnson University.
Women’s Box Score
Georgia Northwestern (57) – Emily Cole 10, Morrow 9, Kenisha Watkins 12, Philpot 7, Jessica Williams 13, McGee 6.
Johnson University (58) – Givens 4, Lankford 7, Ashley Rawls 18, McGuirk 8, Chelsea Simbeck 12, Fales 5, Alley 4, Forsythe.
Halftime Score: 27-24, Johnson University.
(Lookout Mountain, Georgia) – A put-back in the paint with one second left gave Tennessee Temple a one-point win over Georgia Northwestern Saturday afternoon at the Covenant College Tournament, 75-74.
Crusader forward Douglas Slade grabbed his 17th and most important rebound with just two ticks on the clock to put up the final shot of the game. Slade ended the day with 13 points. A last-second shot from three-quarters court by freshman Bobcat Alex Miller fell short in the non-region game for Georgia Northwestern.
Miller (Gordon Central) scored a season-high 26 points from his post position. The first-year Bobcat also cleaned the glass for 13 boards. Randy Boyd (Chattanooga Hixson) and Ben Patton (Dade) added a baker’s dozen each in the score column.
“We had a lot of easy shot just not fall,” said Georgia Northwestern Men’s Head Basketball Coach David Stephenson. “We were cold from outside and we just didn’t have the shots today.” The Bobcats shot 63-percent from the free-throw line. From beyond the arc, a below par 25-percent draining only four of 16 shots from three-land.
Georgia Northwestern (6-7, 0-2) will resume NJCAA Region XVII play on January 7 in Carrollton, Georgia against region rival, West Georgia Tech. For more information on Bobcat Athletics, call the Georgia Northwestern Office of Sports Information at 706.764.3813 or e-mail to dfoley@gntc.edu.
Georgia Northwestern (74) – Randy Boyd 13, Woods 6, Ben Patton 13, Alex Miller 26, Bud Todd 12, Towns 2, Hill, Jr. 2, Dempsey, Chitwood.
Tennessee Temple (75) – Hope 9, Douglas Slade 13, Rocer Golden-White 10, Antwaun Ruise 14, Freeman 8, Cox 7, Mitar, Richards 9, Corbin 5.
Halftime Score: 41-40, Georgia Northwestern
Georgia Northwestern prepares for region play beginning Saturday
(The R.A.C, Rossville, GA) – Freshmen Alex Miller (Gordon Central) and Randy Boyd (Chattanooga Hixson) led the way by each pulling down a double-double in the Bobcats 10-point win over Johnson University (TN) Saturday night, 72-62.
Miller cleaned the boards for a monstrous 17 rebounds and dropped in 14 points. Boyd led all Georgia Northwestern scoring with 18 points and added 10 boards. Freshman Justin Dempsey has begun to see more playing time for the Cats. The Ruleville, Mississippi native scored a dozen Saturday night at the Rossville Athletic Complex (R.A.C.).
Johnson University’s Ricky Bowers led all scorers with 23.
“We are doing some things well and starting to gel in some key areas,” said Georgia Northwestern Head Men’s Basketball Coach David Stephenson. “We’ve tried different variations of the starting line-up during these non-conference games from the start of the season to this week. We are looking for just the right chemistry. The players are quickly learning their roles on the team.”
Georgia Northwestern (4-4) takes on Covenant College high atop Lookout Mountain at the home of the Scots tomorrow night. The Scots fell in the Cats Den two weeks ago, 62-59. The Bobcats will then enter NJCAA Region XVII play officially for the first time on Saturday as they host Middle Georgia Tech at The R.A.C. in Rossville, Georgia.
The Middle Georgia Tech game is also GNTC’s Stocking Full of Love Toy Drive benefit game, as well. One new toy will earn you free admission to Saturday’s games versus the Titans. The Bobcats tip things off at 4 p.m. after the conclusion of the Lady Cats game with the Lady Titans at 2 p.m.
Georgia Northwestern (72) – Randy Boyd 18, Woods 4, Patton 8, Alex Miller 14, Todd 6, Towns 4, Hill 6, Justin Dempsey 12, Chitwood.
Johnson University (62) – Ricky Bower 23, Louis 4, Freedman 7, Gibson, Tyler Griffin 11, Nick King 15, Bell 2, Depew.
Halftime Score: 28-26, Georgia Northwestern
———————————————–
Lady Cats Fight Into OT With Johnson UniversityGeorgia Northwestern prepares for region play beginning Saturday
(Wintrhop-King Centre, Rome, GA) – Georgia Northwestern inches closer and closer to knocking off a four-year college. That goal just escaped the Lady Cats Saturday night in Rome, Georgia losing to Johnson University (TN) in overtime, 66-60.
Freshman Boo McPherson (Rockmart) led the way for the Lady Cats with 20 points on the night. Freshman Jasmine Heath (Rome) dropped in 17 points of her own in the non-conference game.
The Lady Cats (0-4) run the gauntlet leading up to NJCAA Region XVII play which kicks-off next Saturday against Middle Georgia Tech in Rossville, Georgia.
“We have a lot of speed and a lot of heart,” said Georgia Northwestern Women’s Head Basketball Coach Jim Williams. “We’ve put together a strong non-conference schedule in hopes of getting us ready for region play.”
Tonight, the Lady Cats travel to Alabama JUCO power Snead State in Boaz, Alabama. Then, on Thursday, they turn around and travel back to Alabama to take another JUCO powerhouse in Gadsden State in Gadsden, Alabama. Georgia Northwestern played Snead State at home on November 5 losing 81-59.
Georgia Northwestern (60) –Jasmine Heath 17, Daughtry, Cole 4, Hoskins 8, Morrow 8, Boo McPherson 20, Philpot 4, Williams.
Johnson University (66) – Fales 5, Alli Givens 12, Alley, Forsythe 4, Langford 6, Rawls 8, McGuirk 2, Chelsea Sinbeck 29.
Halftime Score: 29-17, Johnson University.
Northwestern Technical College. And it’s in season five atop the Bobcats staff where GNTC Head Men’s Basketball Coach David Stephenson may clinch his 500th career win in 2011-12. Next season will mark his 25th season of coaching basketball.
Standing at 474 wins, the 44-year-old top cat at Georgia Northwestern will need to record 26 wins next season to hit the 500 win mark. “It’s a great number to think about,” said Stephenson. “However, I’m more impressed with the fact that this will be the five-year anniversary of the birth of our programs. We have come a long way and have worked hard for it. From the explosion of our intramural programs to the level of competition our varsity programs are now experiencing, Georgia Northwestern has become a true college life experience for the student-athlete on all levels.”
Stephenson coached his first games in the fall of 1987 at Tennessee Temple in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “I coached elementary and JV squads at the school that year,” recalls Stephenson. “Now, a player who played for me in my second year when I coached varsity high school ball at Tennessee Temple in 1988-89 is now my assistant coach at Georgia Northwestern.” These days, Mark Wiedenbenner serves as Stephenson’s assistant coach for the Bobcats.
Educating nearly 10,000 students across its four campuses and online over this past year, Georgia Northwestern currently offers men’s and women’s collegiate varsity basketball and women’s collegiate varsity volleyball. The Bobcats and Lady Cats will compete for a chance at regional and national titles this year in NJCAA’s Region XVII.
“This is a huge step,” said Stephenson, who also serves as the college athletic coordinator. “However, it means nothing if we don’t succeed at our first goal at GNTC which is to put people on the path to pursue careers. We only accept ‘student’ athletes into our programs. We realize these students will be working alongside us in the years to come. We want our people, our businesses, and our towns to grow stronger as a result.” All but two of Stephenson’s Bobcats from this past season were named to the All-Academic Team for the Technical College System of Georgia Athletic Association.
Friday, June 10 at 11 a.m., the Lady Cats Basketball program will be holding an informational session for anyone who is interested in trying out for the 2011-2012 season. It will take place in the Administration Building on the Walker County Campus. The Lady Cats captured their state conference title in their pilot season of competition this past year.
“We were blessed with a decent cast of Lady Cats on the floor by seasons’ end last year,” said Lady Cats Women’s Head Basketball Coach Jim Williams. “As we hit season two, we want to do it right. We hope it opens doors for anyone who may be interested. The information session on the (June) 10th is for anyone who has any questions whatsoever and may want to get to know the coaching staff.”
Official tryouts for men’s and women’s varsity basketball at Georgia Northwestern will take place after the fall semester begins this August. Practices will begin October 1. Lady Cats Volleyball will soon announce its first dates for tryouts and scheduling in the coming weeks. All Cats Country athletic information is available on the GNTC.edu website.
For more information on Bobcats and Lady Cats Basketball and Lady Bobcats Volleyball programs at Georgia Northwestern, contact the Office of Sports Information at 706-764-3813. You may also e-mail Don Foley in the Office of Sports Information at dfoley@gntc.edu. For more information on Georgia Northwestern Technical College, visit their website at GNTC.edu.
Lady Cats Capture Inaugural TCSGAA Women’s Championship
(Chattanooga, Tennessee) – With West Georgia Tech apparently running away with the inaugural TCSGAA Women’s Basketball title game held at Tennessee Temple University Saturday, Georgia Northwestern didn’t score their first point until Cedartown’s Kayci McGee hit a free throw to make it 11-1 with 12:55 left in the first half. After the break, the Lady Cats faced a 17-point deficit well into the second half.
“We were just hanging our heads,” said Lady Bobcat Assistant Head Coach Robbie Nash. “It was like we were getting run out of the gym.” That’s when the streak hit. Freshman Lady Cat Kayci McGee lit up the nets for a pair of threes to spark a 15-0 run in the final ten minutes to help Georgia Northwestern (2-0) topple the Lady Golden Knights, 72-65.
“We couldn’t even have a real celebration on the court. We were just plain exhausted,” said Lady Cats Head Women’s Basketball Coach Jim Williams on capturing the conference crown. “It came down to who had fresh legs at the end. We were very fortunate to win. These were two very competitive teams today.”
Lady Cat freshman Mia Morrow (Rome) led the way with a double-double by way of 17 points and 11 assists. Fellow freshman Jessica Williams (Pepperell) added a double-double of her own with 16 points and 10 boards.
The story of the game came at the free-throw line. In the season-opener last November, the Lady Cats fell by one at home to the very same West Georgia Tech team, 63-62. They shot a dismal 17-of-42 from the charity stripe that day. In the first-ever TCSGAA Women’s Title Game Saturday, they were 13-of-14 from the line.
Now, West Georgia Tech (1-1) fell by seven in the conference championship. The Lady Golden Knight performance from the foul line Saturday: 8-of-15. That’s seven points. Freshman Lady Cat Mia Morrow hit clutch free throws in the final minute. The 5-foot-1 point guard went four-for-four in the final minute to help nail down the tournament title.
Georgia Northwestern’s Shadow Day (Chattooga), Mia Morrow (Rome), and Kayci McGee (Cedartown) were named to the TCSGAA All-Tournament Team. Lady Cats Head Women’s Basketball Coach Jim Williams was named co-coach of the year in the TCSGA. West Georgia Tech’s Kenny Edwards also took home the honor.
This is the first season of varsity collegiate women’s basketball for both Georgia Northwestern and West Georgia Tech. “The recruitment process for 2011-12 is underway,” said Williams. “We are talking with some talented prep players. And now, we have a great core of players who could return for the run.”
—- —- —- —- —-
In the TCSGAA third-place game Saturday afternoon, Georgia Northwestern’s sophomore co-captain Jesse Moore (Dade County) drained 13 of his 21 points in the game to stop Southern Crescent Tech, 69-64.
Fellow sophomore co-captain Kyle Wilson (Armuchee) capped off his career at the two-year program with 16 points in the tournament win. Freshman Bobcat Ben Patton drained a quartet of threes popping in 12 points in the winning effort.
“We’ve had talented teams in the past. However, this team has had the best chemistry, teamwork, and flat out character of any bunch I’ve had at the college,” said Georgia Northwestern Men’s Head Basketball Coach David Stephenson of his 2010-11 squad. “Kyle (Wilson) and Jesse (Moore) should have a great shot at getting looks from some area four-year programs. Now, they are the only two we lose next year. We will be talking to recruits now who will be adding to a great core next season.”
Moore and Wilson were named to the Men’s All-Tournament Team this weekend in the TCSGAA post-season event hosted by Tennessee Temple University. Moore and Wilson have also previously earned academic honors from the college and the association over their careers at the two-year program.
“Jesse’s (Moore) final two points came on a huge dunk,” said Stephenson. “It was exactly the way I hoped it would happen for him. He and Kyle (Wilson) have worked so hard for this program, on the court and in the classroom.”
The Georgia Northwestern Bobcat Men’s squad also earned the conference’s Sportsmanship Award for the second year in a row. “It’s a testament to the kind of young men we are building,” said Stephenson. This is Stephenson’s fourth season as the head coach of the Bobcat men’s basketball program. Stephenson also earned conference honors being named Co-Coach of the Year in the TCSGAA. West Georgia Tech’s Niki Olokovich also took home the honor.
For more information on the Bobcat and Lady Cats athletic programs at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, contact the Office of Sports Information at 706-764-3813 or e-mail to dfoley@gntc.edu. Georgia Northwestern is Northwest Georgia’s largest college education nearly 10,000 students every year.
BOX SCORES
Women’s Box Score
TCSGAA Women’s Title Game – Shadow Day 13, Mia Morrow 17, Crosby 2, Kelsey Philpot 11, Kayci McGee 13, Jessica Williams 16
Georgia Northwestern Lady Cats (72)
West Georgia Lady Golden Knights (65) – Porsha Goss 10, Quita Rogers 26, Hannah Penn 11, Roshunda Dobbs 13, Wyatt, Cookerly 5.
Halftime Score – 28-23, West Georgia Tech
Georgia Northwestern's Bobcat Blog 
