Athletes Beyond Bartow: Updates on locals with their pro and college teams

This week’s Athletes Beyond Bartow edition includes updates on 20 athletes with local community connections.

NBA G LEAGUE

ASHTON HAGANS — Rip City Remix (4th yr. pro; Cartersville native; Kentucky; Newton HS) … the Remix went 3-1 last week by sweeping home games with the G League Ignite and splitting road games at the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Hagans averaged a double-double with 14 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, two steals, and one blocked shot per game. Rip City (8-4) is currently in fifth place in the G League Western Conference. The Remix plays at the Salt Lake City Stars on Tuesday and hosts the South Bay Lakers on Friday.

BASKETBALL SUPER LEAGUE

A.J. MOSBY, JR. — Sudbury Five (6th-year pro; Alcorn State; Cartersville HS) … scored 38 points with eight rebounds, seven assists, and one blocked shot this past Sunday in a 99-92 home loss to the Windsor Express. Mosby also finished with 19 points, eight assists, and five boards in a 113-106 loss at Windsor this past Friday. The Five (5-4) host the Newfoundland Rogues on Friday night.

UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE

VIC BEASLEY — Arlington Renegades (9th yr. pro; Clemson; Adairsville HS) … was drafted by Arlington on January 5 during the 2024 UFL dispersal draft. With the merger of five XFL teams and three teams of the USFL, a dispersal draft was held to land non-rostered players. Beasley played last year for the Vegas Vipers. Beasley recorded 15 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and two fumble recoveries in nine games with the Vipers. The linebacker has also played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, and Las Vegas Raiders. The 2024 10-game UFL regular season begins March 30 followed by two weeks of playoffs.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

BRAXTON BENHAM — Berry College (Jr., Cass HS) … scored 21 points with four rebounds and three steals last Friday in a 75-55 win at Birmingham-Southern College. On Sunday in an 81-47 win at Millsaps College, Benahm finished with 14 points, four rebounds, four steals, and three assists. The Vikings (11-9, 8-1 Southern Athletic Association) visit Rhodes College in Memphis on Friday and play at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas on Sunday.

ZAYLAN CHANEY — Tallahassee CC (So., Cartersville resident, Legacy Academy) … scored 10 points and had two steals with one. rebound last Wednesday in an 88-86 home loss to Gulf Coast State CC. Last Saturday, he scored three points with three boards, one assist, and one blocked shot in an 83-72 loss at Chipola CC. The Eagles (15-7, 1-3 FCSAA) play at Northwest Florida State CC on Saturday.

CLAIRE DAVIS — Palm Beach Atlantic University (So., Cass HS) … scored seven points with three steals, two assists, and one rebound in a 77-73 loss last Wednesday at the University of Tampa. She scored nine points with two rebounds and a pair of blocked shots in a 61-56 home win this past Saturday over Florida Southern College. PBAU (10-9, 4-7 Sunshine State Conference) hosts Barry University on Wednesday and visits Rollins College on Saturday.

JA’KA’YAH DRAUGHN — Chattanooga State CC (Fr., Cartersville HS) … scored six points with five rebounds, four assists, and one blocked shot this past Saturday in a 93-49 win at Volunteer State CC. Draughn also scored two points with three boards and two assists last Thursday in a 69-36 home victory over Snead State CC. Chatt State (16-1, 7-1 TCCAA) hosts the Milligan University JV on Monday, plays at Cleveland State on Wednesday, and entertains Jackson State CC on Saturday.

JUSTICE HAYES — Point University (Jr., Cass HS) … scored 19 points with four rebounds and one assist last Wednesday and scored 11 points with nine rebounds, four assists, and one block this past Saturday in losses to Life University and Dalton State. The Skyhawks (6-15, 0-13 Southern States Athletic Conference) have now dropped 15 of their last 16 games. Point hosts Middle Georgia State on Saturday afternoon.

DiANTHONY HEATHCOCK — Columbia International University (Sr., Woodland HS) … scored 13 points this past Saturday with 14 rebounds, two assists, and a pair of blocked shots in the Rams’ 97-74 home win over Kentucky Christian University. He did not participate in the Rams’ 94-93 loss last Wednesday at Bluefield University (Virginia). Columbia International (13-8, 12-5 Appalachian Athletic Conference) hosts Montreat College (North Carolina) on Wednesday night and 12th-ranked Union College (Kentucky) on Saturday afternoon.

HALEY JOHNSON — Central Georgia Tech CC (So., Cass HS) … finished with two points, three steals, one assist, and one rebound this past Saturday in a 63-55 loss at South Georgia Tech CC. The Titans (8-10, 5-2 GCAA) play at East Georgia State on Monday, at Georgia Highlands on Wednesday, and entertain Albany Tech on Saturday.

KEARA McDANIEL — Toccoa Falls College (So., Cass HS) … did not score but had one rebound this past Wednesday in a 58-47 home loss to Truett-McConell University. The Screamin’ Eagles (14-3, 4-0 NCCCA D-II South) hosts Johnson University (Tennessee) on Thursday and Trinity Baptist College (Florida) on Saturday.

T.J. PRINTUP, JR. — Tusculum University (R-Fr., Adairsville HS) … scored two points with three rebounds, two blocks, and two steals last Wednesday in a 72-59 home loss to Lincoln Memorial University. He also saw action this past Saturday but had no stat line in a 72-65 loss at Lenoir-Rhyne. The Pioneers (7-10, 5-6 South Atlantic Conference) visit Mars Hill University on Wednesday and host Newberry College on Saturday.

LONDAISHA SMITH — Salem University (Jr., Cass HS) … scored five points with four rebounds and one steal this past Saturday in a 65-58 home loss to Notre Dame College (Ohio). She also had one rebound last Wednesday in a 97-73 loss at West Liberty University (West Virginia). Salem (3-15) will try to snap a seven-game skid Wednesday at Davis & Elkins College. The Tigers then host West Virginia Wesleyan College on Saturday.

WRESTLING

CALEB HENSON — Virginia Tech (So., Woodland HS) … earned a 19-3 tech fall victory in 5:24 this past Friday over his UNC opponent as the Hokies beat the Tar Heels, 33-3. He racked up five takedowns and three near-falls for his eighth tech fall of the season. Henson, the NCAA No. 2-ranked 149-pounder, improved to 21-1 on the season. Virginia Tech wrestles at Virginia on Friday in the annual Commonwealth Clash.

TYLER McKNIGHT — Davidson College (Fr., Cass HS) … placed third and was 4-1 in the 149-pound weight division this past weekend at the Appalachian Open in Boone, North Carolina. His only loss came in the championship bracket quarterfinals after receiving a first-round bye and a win by fall in the second round. The pin was the first of his collegiate career. In the consolation bracket, McKnight won three straight including an overtime win over the same opponent who defeated him in the quarterfinals. McKnight is now 18-10 on the season. The Wildcats host Bellarmine University on Friday night.

JAXON SMITH — University of Maryland (R-So., Woodland HS) … lost a 13-4 major decision in his 197-pound bout Sunday against Penn State’s Aaron Brooks who is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the weight class. The top-ranked Nittany Lions also won the team match, 42-6. Maryland travels to 9th-ranked Minnesota for a match on Friday night.

ELORA WATERMAN — Brewton Parker College (So., Cartersville HS) … was 0-2 in her bouts but picked up three forfeits on the day in the 101-pound weight class as BPC finished 3-2 at the Warrior Duals last Friday in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Barons had wins over Rochester University, St. Andrews University, and Lourdes University. Waterman also competed in the Warrior Open this past Saturday but earned no points. Next for BPC is a tri-match at Life University that will include Indiana Tech on February 10.

TENNIS

EMILY SURCEY — Samford University (Jr., Cass HS) … won her Line 2 singles match 6-2, 7-6

but lost 6-5 with doubles partner Ally Haduk in a 5-2 team win this past Saturday over Alabama State. On Sunday in a 5-2 team win over North Alabama, Surcey won her Line 2 singles match 6-2, 6-2. Her Line 1 doubles match with partner Hayduk was unfinished with the Bulldogs’ duo up 5-2 when the match was halted. Samford (2-1) will return to action on February 10 in a home match with Belmont University.

TRACK AND FIELD

STEPHEN SMITH — Kennesaw State University (Sr., Cass HS) … finished third in the pole vault at the Clemson Invitational this past weekend by clearing 15 feet, five inches. The Owls will send split squads next Friday and Saturday to the Virginia Tech Elite Meet in Blacksburg, Virginia, and the South Carolina Invitational in Columbia, South Carolina.

SWIMMING

HARPER POWELL — Florida Tech (Jr., Adairsville HS) … was a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay team that placed third in 1:41.48. She was also on the fifth-place 200-yard medley relay team that placed fifth (1:54.93). Powell added a seventh-place finish (26.19) in the 50-yard freestyle as the Panthers dropped a 131-130 decision at home to 5th-ranked Lynn University. Florida Tech competes in the Sunshine State Conference Championships in Ocala on February 14-18.