Tuesday's Daily News 'n Notes: GHSA enrollment numbers out, area movement; Hoops: UGA, Mercer, Tech; Mercer honors; Scoreboard; and more
Tuesday's Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media.
New enrollment numbers released by GHSA, some movement?
Three Central Georgia high schools found themselves in new classifications after the GHSA released enrollment numbers to start the process of reclassification.
Latest update is in The Latest Coverage.
Mercer women roll in opener
Things went according to plan as Mercer hammered Division III LaGrange 74-47 in the Bears’ women’s basketball opener at Hawkins Arena.
Newcomer PJ Wintermeyer shared game scoring honors of 14 points with veteran Shannon Titus. Amoria Neal-Tyson and Jordan McLaughlin added 10 points each for Mercer, which shot 48.1 percent from the floor and helped LaGrange to 29 turnovers to only four assists.
Edwards Era off to good start for Georgia
Anthony Edwards scored 24 points – most by a freshman in an opener since Dominique Wilkins’ 26 against Troy on Nov. 30, 1979 – to lead Georgia past Western Carolina 91-72 in the Bulldogs’ opener.
Georgia Tech tops N.C. State
James Branks wounded N.C. State to end the Wolfpack’s ACC tourney run and did the same to start this season, with game-winning free throws with 2.1 seconds left in overtime for an 82-81 win.
A visit to New York City for Mercer’s men to open the season
The first game as head coach for Greg Gary will be memorable no matter what.
Gary and Mercer will make the season debut at St. John’s in Carnesecca Arena on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., in the facility named after the St. John’s coaching legend.
The game will be on FS1.
The Red Storm are picked to finish ninth in the Big East, and have a new head coach as well, Mike Anderson, formerly of Arkansas, Missouri, and UAB.
St. John’s reached the NCAA Tournament last year, and return starters Mustafa Heron and L.J Figueroa.
About the only familiarity this year for Mercer compared to last year is with Ross Cummings and Ethan Stair.
Cummings is a preseason all-Southern Conference pick as one of the league’s top shooters. Stair is likely to join Cummings on Mercer’s 1,000-point list this year, Stair at 704 points and Cummings at 803.
Mercer’s roster has four freshmen, six sophomores, two juniors, and three seniors. The only other players returning with experience are guard Djordje Dimitrijevic, center Victor Bafutto, Luke Hamilton, and Daniel Love.
Dimitrijevic is the only one with any starts, and he played in all 31 games, averaging 22.8 minutes, 9.6 points and about two assists a game.
Mercer was picked to finish eighth in the conference by coaches and media.
The Bears took care of St. Andrews 86-55 in an exhibition last week, newcomers Mitch Prendergast and James Glisson III adding 28 points to Stair’s 23. Dimitrijevic added seven assists and five steals, Stair getting a double-double with 11 rebounds.
Mercer welcomes Columbia International on Friday at 1 p.m. in the home opener, then hosts Kennesaw State on Monday and former Atlantic Sun rival Florida Gulf Coast on Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Honor Roll
Mercer’s Icen, Economopoulous take top SoCon soccer honors
Nicole Icen is the first Mercer player to take Southern Conference women’s soccer player of the year honors since 2008, and Tony Economopoulous is the conference coach of the year.
Scoreboard
College
Basketball
W-Georgia Tech 69, Houston 38
W-Middle Georgia State 76, Vorhees 59
W-Troy 101, Fort Valley State 52
Golf
W-Mercer, second, Idle Hour Collegiate
Laila Hrindova finished second with a 3-under 313, four shots back.
Volleyball
Peach State CFB Report
UGA: Dogs sixth in first CFP poll
UGA: Protection was good on third-and-Fromm
Falcons Report
Around/About Georgia
Hawks to be without Collins – drug suspension – for awhile
Tech women’s BKB: Q&A with Fortner