Athletes Beyond Bartow: Hagans sees NBA action with T-wolves; Morning leads Vikings to wins

It was brief but no doubt special.

Cartersville native Ashton Hagans only saw 2 minutes of action for the Minnesota Timberwolves in a loss to Golden State on Jan. 25. However, that cameo served as Hagans' NBA debut, making it a moment to savor for the rookie point guard.

Hagans played 2 more minutes off the bench in another meeting between Minnesota and Golden State two days later. He hasn't seen time in the T-Wolves' past three games, but Hagans could carve out some playing time in the coming weeks and months with Minnesota currently last in the Western Conference.

Elsewhere, former Cass standout Jana Morning played the first two home games of her senior season, leading Berry College to a pair of conference wins. In the victories, Morning scored 36 total points to go with 12 rebounds, seven steals and five assists.

PRO BASKETBALL

Ashton Hagans (Minnesota Timberwolves; Cartersville native) — Hagans saw his first NBA action last week, playing 2 minutes apiece in a pair of road losses at Golden State. He turned the ball over once in his debut last Monday and didn’t record any statistics in Wednesday’s defeat.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Justice Hayes (South Georgia Tech Fr., Cass) — Hayes featured in two of the Jets’ three games over the past week. He recorded an assist in an 8-minute appearance in an 81-56 loss to Chipola last Tuesday. Hayes didn’t feature in a win Wednesday at Northwest Florida State, but he did sink a 3-pointer on his only shot attempt and pull down an offensive rebound in an 83-62 defeat Saturday at USC Salkehatchie.

T.J. Horton (Georgia Highlands Fr., Cartersville) — In his debut for the Chargers, Horton put together a well-rounded showing off the bench in a 78-62 win over Middle Georgia Prep. The former University of Chattanooga wide receiver went 4-for-7 from the floor, including 1-for-1 from deep, en route to nine points. Horton chipped in with four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

DiAnthony Heathcock (Columbia International Fr., Woodland) — Heathcock managed two points and two rebounds in 17 minutes of action during a 73-69 loss Thursday at Tennessee Wesleyan.

Jana Morning (Berry Sr., Cass) — Morning helped lead Berry to a sweep of Hendrix College over the weekend at home. In a 62-52 victory Saturday, she scored 14 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3PT, 4-4 FT). Morning added five rebounds, three steals and two assists. The following day, Morning totaled 22 points in a 77-65 overtime win. She went just 3-for-14 from the floor but sank 14 of 21 free throw-attempts. The senior chipped in seven rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Josie Summerville (North Park Jr., Adairsville) — For the second time in three games this season, Summerville didn’t miss a shot attempt in a 47-40 victory Saturday at Carthage. However, it was also the second time in those three games that Summerville got in foul trouble. As such, she finished with four points (1-1 FG, 2-2 FT), two rebounds and a block.

Alexis Ware (Piedmont So., Cass) — Ware recorded one rebound in three minutes of action during a 73-62 win over Huntingdon Saturday at home.

Nakiyah Washington (Piedmont So., Adairsville) — Washington managed eight points on 3-of-7 shooting to go with a pair of steals in Saturday’s victory over Huntingdon. It came a day after she flirted with a triple-double in an 83-65 win over the same team. In Friday’s triumph, Washington racked up 25 points (11-19 FG, 1-3 3PT, 2-4 FT), eight rebounds, seven steals, two assists and two blocks.

TRACK AND FIELD

Parker Breedlove (Reinhardt So., Cartersville) — Competing in the 5000-meter race, Breedlove crossed the finish line in 19th, with a time of 16 minutes, 24.24 seconds, at the KMS Open Sunday in Birmingham, Alabama.

Stephen Smith (Kennesaw State So., Cass) — Smith placed ninth in the men's pole vault, topping out at 4.6 meters, last week at the Bob Pollock Invitational at Clemson.

McKenna Trapheagen (Georgia Tech Fr., Woodland) — With a time of 5 minutes, 16.18 seconds, Trapheagen finished 22nd last week at the Bob Pollock Invitational at Clemson.

WRESTLING

Kyle Gollhofer (Northern Iowa R-Fr., Woodland) — In an extra match at 125 pounds, Gollhofer dropped a narrow 5-3 decision to an Oklahoma State wrestler Saturday at home. -- contributed by Nicholas Sullivan, The Daily Tribune News