West Georgia Technical splits conference opener

WEST GEORGIA TECH OPENS CONFERENCE WITH SPLIT AGAINST SOUTHERN CRESCENT MONDAY NIGHT

LAGRANGE, Ga. – West Georgia Tech opened conference play with a split against Southern Crescent Tech Monday evening, with the women winning 81-29 and the men dropping the nightcap, 88-86.

The WGTC women’s team improved to 5-13 overall but more importantly 1-0 in conference play behind a 16-point effort from Victoria Conner. Conner was 6-of-13 from the field and pulled down eight rebounds for the Knights.

Joining her in double-figures was Sharika Pennamon with 12 points followed by Nicole Marshall and Sha’Ron Forte with ten points, each. Shay Romick had a team-high nine rebounds in the contest. 

West Georgia Tech used a smothering defense to take control of the game from the onset. The Knights held the Tigers to just 17 percent shooting, and in the second half alone SCTC was just 4-of-32 from the field. WGTC forced 30 Southern Crescent turnovers. 

West Georgia Tech shot 43.6 from the floor. 

The WGTC women return to action tonight (Tuesday) on the road at Georgia Northwestern Tech. 

The West Georgia Tech men’s team played another tightly-contested game that came down to the final shot, something that has been customary for the Golden Knights this year. The Knights fell short this time, losing their conference-opener to Southern Crescent Tech 88-86 in a game that didn’t end until shortly after 11 p.m. 

West Georgia Tech fell to 6-10 overall. 

The Golden Knights inbounded the ball down 88-86 with five seconds remaining but could only manage a desperation heave from midcourt, which nearly went in before rimming out.

West Georgia Tech led 62-54 with 11:17 to play but Southern Crescent then went on a 12-3 run to go up by one, 66-65. Neither team led by more than four points after that.

Randazerro Chaney led all scorers with 21 points, on 7-of-13 shooting from the field. Alyja Hennings, coming off a school-record 41 point effort last Saturday in a win over Sound Doctrine, scored 14 points. Derrick Austin and Victor Wynn each had 12 points.

Southern Crescent was hot from the field, shooting 52.2 percent. The Knights shot 48.5 percent but were just 15-of-32 (46.9 percent) from the free throw line. 

The Golden Knights will try to even their conference record when they travel to Rossville tonight (Tuesday) to take on Georgia Northwestern.