Athletes Beyond Bartow update: basketball and track & field

This week's update on local athletes at the collegiate and professional level across the country in basketball and track and field features strong performances by Adairsville's Nakiyah Washington with Piedmont, Cass' Jacquez Fountain with Albany Tech, and Cartersville native Ashton Hagans with Kentucky. The update for 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' in softball and baseball were reported in a previous article located at this link -- https://www.bartowsportszone.com/post/athletes-beyond-bartow-collegiate-softball-baseball-updates

Photos (L-R): Nakiyah Washington, Jacquez Fountain, Ashton Hagans

PRO BASKETBALL

Elijah Robinson (Atenas Cordoba, Argentina; Excel Christian) — Robinson returned to the starting lineup this week but had a little trouble getting back into rhythm, as Atenas split a pair of games. He had seven points and eight rebounds Tuesday in an 81-68 loss to Gimnasia. Two days later, Robinson had four points and seven boards in a 97-82 win over La Union FSA.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Jacquez Fountain (Albany Tech Fr., Cass) — Fountain racked up 28 points, including shooting 7-for-14 from deep, and 10 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to see Albany Tech past Central Georgia Tech in a tight 71-70 loss Wednesday. Fountain wasn't quite as efficient Saturday, when he had 18 points and five rebounds versus Andrew College. However, Albany Tech rallied for a 55-52 win.

Ashton Hagans (Kentucky So., Cartersville native) — Hagans flirted with a triple-double in a come-from-behind win Tuesday at Vanderbilt. He finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists to go with two steals. On Saturday, six points, three rebounds and three assists before fouling out in a 67-62 win over Ole Miss.

Whitney Harris (Toccoa Falls So., Woodland) — Harris had a nice shooting week, hitting 3-for-7 in a 67-59 win over Johnson University-Florida and 4-for-9 in a 68-62 loss to Bob Jones.

Carter Hedden (Hocking So., Cass) — Hedden saw some time off the bench in a 98-86 win Saturday over Lorain County. He didn't see the floor in a 102-100 loss Wednesday at Sinclair.

Kimora McClinic (Middle Georgia State Jr., Cartersville) — McClinic played three scoreless minutes in a 71-56 loss Saturday to Faulkner.

Kyla Michienzi (Piedmont R-Fr., Cass) — Michienzi dropped home 17 points — second-most on the team — in 18 minutes off the bench in a 76-48 win Wednesday over Brevard. She added two rebounds and a steal. Saturday, in a 78-56 victory against Huntingdon, Michienzi contributed five points, one rebound and one assist. Piedmont will host the winner of Averett and Meredith in the quarterfinals of the USA South tournament at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Jana Morning (Berry Jr., Cass) — Morning had 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting to go with eight rebounds, four assists and three steals in Berry's regular-season finale — a 62-47 loss to Oglethorpe. Berry will face Centre in the Southern Athletic Association quarterfinals at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Jaylon Pugh (Furman So., Cartersville) — Pugh saw four minutes of action in an 86-71 win Wednesday at Samford. He had one foul but no other stats in the limited run.

Josie Summerville (North Park So., Adairsville) — Summerville went scoreless but did have seven rebounds, an assist and a steal in a 62-53 defeat Wednesday against Carthage.

Darius Thrower (Truett McConnell Sr., Excel Christian) — Thrower posted six points, two steals, a rebound and an assist in a 95-66 loss Wednesday to Allen.

Alexis Ware (Piedmont Fr., Cass) — Ware saw five minutes of playing time in the win over Brevard. She had one foul and one turnover in the limited minutes.

Nakiyah Washington (Piedmont Fr., Adairsville) — Washington remained on fire this past week, leading her the Lions in scoring in each of their wins. She had 20 points (6-of-10 from the field, 8-of-10 from the line) with six rebounds and one each of rebounds, blocks and steals in just 20 minutes against Brevard. Washington came off the bench on senior night against Huntingdon but still scored a team-high 18 points in 23 minutes. She added three steals, two rebounds, two assists and a block.

Carrod Watson (North Georgia Sr., Woodland) — Watson started each of North Georgia's wins last week, but he totaled just 23 minutes of floor time. He had three points, two rebounds and a block in a 73-66 victory over Columbus State, and Watson went scoreless with two boards in an 85-77 comeback triumph against Lander.

Breeana Wilson (Georgia Highlands Fr., Adairsville) — Wilson finished with two points to go with three rebounds, two steals and an assist in a 56-38 win Tuesday over Andrew College. The next night, she had one rebound in a 68-66 loss to South Georgia Tech.

TRACK AND FIELD Parker Breedlove (Reinhardt Fr., Cartersville) — Breedlove finished third in the men's 3000-meter run, crossing in just over 10 minutes, Friday at the Sewanee Indoor Invitational. Trevor Knowles (Albion Jr., Woodland) — Knowles came in second in the long jump and fourth in the high jump Friday at the Aquinas College Little Meet. London Shaw (Jacksonville State Fr., Cartersville) — Shaw placed ninth in shot put and 19th in weight throw, leading her team in both events, this past weekend at the Bulldog Open, hosted by Samford. Nicholas Sullivan of The Daily Tribune News contributed to this report.