Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

The Braselton News Contact the sports department: Phone: 706-367-5233 Fax: 706-367-9355 brandon@mainstreetnews.com Bicycling Road Atlanta to host Tour de Georgia The 2008 Tour de Georgia will again pass through the Braselton area, but this time it will make a sig nificant stop. It was announced last week that Road Atlanta will host the Team Time Trial portion of the sixth annual event on April 24. It will be the fourth stage of the seven-stage event, which starts at Tybee Island on April 21, and ends in Atlanta on April 27. The Braselton raceway will host the first Team Time Trial of the Tour de Georgia. The individual time trial discipline has been part of the tour since 2004. The exciting and highly anticipated Team Time Trial will replace the ITT this year in Georgia. It is incorporated into stage racing occasionally, and was last part of the Tour de France in 2005. This “race of truth” for teams was reintroduced on American soil in 2007 at the International Tour de ‘Toona, and had not been staged since the 1986 World Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “The continued success of Tour de Georgia generates positive value for local communities and the state and unparalleled enthusiasm for hundreds of thousands of spectators who travel to these communities for this springtime sports tradition,” said Elizabeth Dewberry, execu tive director for the 2008 Tour de Georgia. “We are proud that the Tour de Georgia offers a prestigious level of competition for world-class athletes, and an opportunity for many of our U.S.-based athletes to perform on home soil.” “The Tour de Georgia is a race I love because of the amazing fans and how well it fits in with my rac ing schedule,” said 2007 Tour de Georgia champion Janez Brajkovic, who will be racing in 2008 for the Astana Pro Cycling Team. “Being the best young rider in 2006 was great, but winning the whole race in 2007 was the highlight of my racing career. I am always asking my direc tors to do more races in the U.S. and I plan to be back again in April.” Since 2003 the Tour de Georgia has attracted 2.8 million spectators and generated over $148 million in economic impact for the state of Georgia. The event aligned with the Georgia Cancer Coalition in its first six years, to raise both aware ness and revenue across the state. In 2008, the official local benefi ciary will be with the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s. “It is virtually impossible to explain how important events like Tour de Georgia are to the chil dren of Atlanta and the surround ing southeastern region,” stated Dr. William G. Woods, Director of the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s. “Philanthropic events and organiza tions make it possible for our staff of physicians and nurses to fight pediatric cancer and blood disorders and get kids back to being kids.” For more information on the Tour de Georgia, vist www.tourdegeor- gia.com. IB Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Bovs’ Basketball Hawks lose close game to North Gwinnett Mill Creek to host Duluth Fri. BY BRANDON REED After picking up a first victory of the season last week, the Mill Creek Hawks hoped to see more positive results Friday night, as the team traveled to North Gwinnett. It was a close game from begin ning to end, but at the final buzzer, it was the Bulldogs pulling out the win, 54-52. Both teams went back and forth during the first half, staying within a few points of each other the entire time. The Hawks found themselves down 10-8 at the end of the first quarter, but rallied back to take a 23-16 lead at the half. Missed free throws plagued the Hawks during the third, as Mill Creek missed several shots, allowing North Gwinnett to close the gap- The teams continued to go back and forth dur ing the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs took the lead with just over a minute left, held it to the end. “We played defensively pretty well,” said head boys’ basketball coach Phil Bollier. “We only lost our game plan a couple of times. The key, really, to the game, was our free throw percentage. We were up six or eight in the middle of the third quarter, with a chance to stretch that out, and just did not make key free throws.” Regardless, Bollier said, his team stayed with the Bulldogs through out the game. Coming up: WHAT: Mill Creek vs. Duluth WHERE: Mill Creek High School WHEN: Fri., 7:30 P.M and “Even in the third quarter, except for not making our free throws, we played pretty well. It was the same with the fourth. When you shoot the percentage from the free throw line that we did in a close game, it’s most crucial.” Travis Bollier led the team in scoring, with 17 points. Chris Avery also hit double digits, scoring 12. Chase Anderson scored nine points. Manu Ogbuehi led the team in rebounds with eight on Friday night. Anderson led in assists with four. Bollier and Anderson both had three steals each. Coach Bollier said the teams all around accomplishments are what’s important. “We’re a team,” he said. “What we want to do is make this a team accom plishment all the way around. This is a team sport, and we want everyone contributing and receiving acco lades as a team.” Bollier said this week his team will work to make sure the mistakes of last Friday night don’t resurface in their next game. “We’re working defensively to become more solid, to do a better job of rebounding,” he said. “We’ll continue to work on the common things that go on in basketball. We’d like to be uncommon in the way we play, not turn the ball over, do a good job rebounding, make the high percentage shots, and obvious ly make our free throws. When you do those common things uncom- WATCHING CLOSE Mill Creek’s Travis Bollier (4) defends against a North Gwinnett player during Friday night’s game. Bollier scored 17 pointes against the Bulldogs. Photo by Brandon Reed monly well, you become pretty good. That’s what we’re trying to do.” Up next for the Hawks is their final home game before Christmas break, as they’ll play host to Duluth Friday night. The Wildcats enter the match up with a 2-4 overall record, and 0-2 in the region. Bollier says fans can look for another strong Mill Creek perfor mance. “I expect that the Mill Creek Hawks are going to be more solid than they’ve been in any other game this year,” he said. “(They) will not turn the ball over as much, have defensive intensity, and we’ll play with an intensity that makes our team just run the program that we want to run.” Girls' Basketball Mill Creek continues streak, defeats North Gwinnett ~ '~1 Lady Hawks play host to Duluth Fri. FAR REACH Mill Creek’s Katie Palomba (12), reaches for the ball during a game earlier in the season. Palomba had an assist during Friday night’s game against the North Gwinnett Bulldogs. Photo by Kristi Reed BY BRANDON REED The Mill Creek Fady Hawks continued their winning streak Friday night, as they handed the Fady Bulldogs of North Gwinnett a 47-39 defeat. The Fady Hawks moved out to an early lead in the first quarter, and by the half, led 28-10. In the third, North Gwinnett began to make a charge, pulling within 12 points as Mill Creek continued to lead 36-24. The Bulldogs would pull closer in the fourth, closing the gap to 39-34, but the Fady Hawks then pulled away for the victory. “I thought we played a really good first half,” said head girls’ basket ball coach Ashley Phillips. “The kids did a really good job defensively, and really worked together well. Obviously, holding them to ten points showed that we were playing pretty good defense. We would have like to have had a better second half, but you have to give North Gwinnett credit for playing better.” Moneshia Simmons led the Fady Hawks in scoring, picking up 19 points on the night. Simmons also led in rebounds, with 11. “She played really well,” Phillips said. “She’s really come on strong lately, and has done a good job of finishing around the basket. I thought our guards did an outstanding job of getting her the ball and the post to allow her to get those shots.” Porsha Porter scored eight points, as did Olivia Towers-Solis. Whitney Smith scored five, Tia Williams scored three, while Monique Weathers and Megan Basile scored two each. Porter had the most assists on the See BASKETBALL on page 2B Coming up: WHAT: Mill Creek vs. Duluth WHERE: Mill Creek High School WHEN: Fri., 6 P.M. TangerTown Centre Value Shopping 4$7 at its oJliO 1 I GN WORTH - NOVA CINEMAS ■ HIBBETT SPORTS * BLACK & DECKER - CATO'S * OLD NAW . AND MORE! Commerce, Georgia * f-85, Banks Crossing, Exit 149 * 706-335-3354 • Mon-Sat 9-9, Sun 12-6 Enjoy our WEEKLY OFFERS! Nail Pearl and Tan S2 OFF Manicure and Pedicure Combo or Solar Nail Set Localwl al ^50 larger Drive in Ctimmefc&, GA Not redeemable for cash nr any services nol direclly mentioned within coupnii. Photocopies will not be acceplcd Offer empires 12/31/07 Valid at the Tanker Town Gun I re location nmy. $etsen$e 50% OFF all dog & cat toys OHor axplros 12/1 6/07 Valid at ilia Tan gar Town Centra location only.