Former Central standout shines

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

On the brink of losing a third consecutive game, University of Georgia basketball player Albert Jackson took control of the final minute in the Bulldogs’ game with Virginia Tech on Dec. 9.

Down one point with 27 seconds left, Jackson, who played three years at Hopkins County Central, provided Georgia with the eventual game-winning shot. Later, on the defensive end, the former Storm standout hauled in Virginia Tech’s final shot in a 67-66 victory.

Needing one point to tie and another to go-ahead, Georgia guard Corey Butler dished inside to Jackson, who tossed in a go-ahead bank shot.

Back on the other end of the floor, the Hokies missed game-winning shots by Hank Thorns and Cheick Diakite. On the second miss, Jackson snatched the ball and was fouled with less than one second to go, sealing the win.

After beginning the season with a 6-1 record, the Bulldog’s suffered back-to-back losses at Western Kentucky (67-63) and Illinois (76-42).

“I was really, really proud of the way we bounced back from our game against Illinois,” Georgia head coach Dennis Felton told the Web site georgiadogs.com. “I liked the way we showed toughness in this game, because it was a war, and we were looking at a deficit most of the game. I was really proud of them down the stretch, when we made plays, both offensively and defensively, to win the game.”

A previous Jackson lay-up with 4:16 remaining gave Georgia a brief 62-60 lead, but Virginia Tech tied the game 33 seconds later.

In the final minutes, just as the rest of the game, neither team proved to be able to throttle past the other until the final shot. The two teams tied 13 times and the lead changed hands 11 times.

Following Jackson’s final minute heroics, the junior captain finished with seven points and five rebounds and was one of three Bulldogs to knock down at least three field goals.

Women’s basketball

Kari Jo Harris and the Lee University Flames handed NAIA No. 1 ranked Union College its first loss of the season, an 88-72 defeat on Saturday.

Harris, who played at Central during her high school days, amounted four points during her nine minutes of floor time.

The Lee win snapped Union’s 46-game regular season winning streak.

Men’s swimming

Transylvania University swimmer Yunan Yang collected a trio of top-three finishes during a dual meet with Warren Wilson College (N.C.) on Saturday.

Yang, who previously swam at Madisonville-North Hopkins, turned in his best performance swimming a leg during the Pioneers’ first-place 200-yard medley relay team (1:47.69).

Later, Yang, a freshman, finished second in the 50-yard freestyle (:24.02) and third in the 500-yard freestyle (6:36.65).

Fellow former Maroons Daniel, Joseph and Stephen Porter also participated at the meet.

Daniel earned four points for Transylvania with a second-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle (2:03.70) and three points for taking third place in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.26).

Joseph finished in third in the 200-yard individual medley (2:22.64) and Stephen took second place in the 100-yard freestyle (:54.12).

All three Porter brothers swam together on a 200-yard freestyle relay team.

Women’s swimming

Also at Warren Wilson College, former Lady Maroon swimmers Maggie Davenport and Claire Dorris each captured individual victories.

Davenport held an almost 10-second advantage over her closest competition in the 200-yard individual medley, finishing with a time of 2:29.60. Dorris topped all swimmers in the 100-yard backstroke (1:10.55), defeating her next competitor by six seconds.

After collecting their individual wins, the duo combined to swim on a 200-yard freestyle relay team.