Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
PAGE 3B
High School Basketball Preview: Apalachee boys
Wildcats lean on experience, aim for return to playoffs
By Scott Thompson
Sports Edito
A year after a Sweet 16 berth, the 2015-
16 season came to a disappointing and
premature end for the Apalachee boys
basketball team which was bounced by
Conyers in the GHSA Region 8-AAAAA
tournament.
But even as he seeks to replace three
senior starters from a 19-6 squad, includ
ing one of the all-time Barrow County
basketball greats, Wildcat coach Kevin
Morris is confident in his team’s chances
of making it back to the state playoffs.
“Our goal like always is to get in and
see what happens,” said Morris, whose
Wildcats opened their season Tuesday
night with a home non-region tilt against
Monroe Area.
At the forefront of the departures was
all-time Barrow County scoring leader
Kamar Baldwin, who signed with NCAA
Division I mid-major powerhouse Butler.
Along with Baldwin, the three-time all-
state selection and two-time region Player
of the Year, Ricky Wonzon and Jabari Hill
have also moved on.
Forward Derek Miller and guard Omer
Ahmed return as starters, while seniors
Ethan Morris, Ryan Miller and Rashad
Eberhart along with juniors Deron Collier
and Marcus Wester and sophomore Bran
don Bannis all played significant varsity
minutes last season.
“We’ve played a lot of people in the past
and we played all 14 of them in our scrim
mage (a win over Loganville last week),”
Morris said.
“Everyone can contribute in their own
way. We can throw 10 different guys and
not have much of a drop-off. We just have
to find that right mix.”
Apalachee has moved from an 11-team
region into the new six-team 8-AAAAAA,
which also includes Gainesville, Dacula,
Lanier, Winder-Barrow and Habersham
Central.
“It’s probably Gainesville and the rest
of us, but a smaller region is going to help
us with trying to get over the playoff,”
Morris said.
“We’ve just got to do what we do well.
We play fast and shoot a lot of threes, so
we need to concentrate on making our
shots and get good rotations on our press
es. We pride ourselves on being unselfish
and setting up the next player.”
KEY MAN
Senior guard Omer Ahmed returns as a starter for the Wildcats.
GOING UP
Apalachee junior Deron Collier goes for the ball during the Wildcats’ scrim
mage last week against Loganville. Apalachee is seeking a return to the state
playoffs after a one-year hiatus. Photos by Jessica Brown
MULTIPLE SPORTS
Apalachee football standout Ethan Morris will also
be a key player for the Wildcat basketball team.
DOWN THE FLOOR
The Wildcats will be counting on junior bigman
Derek Miller to help them get back to the state
playoffs after a one-year hiatus.
THE RIGHT
THINGS
building a better health system for your family
FOR THE RIGHT
REASONS
Barrow Regional Medical Center will be joining the award winning
team at Northeast Georgia Medical Center to bring you high quality
health care, closer to home. On January 1, Barrow Regional Medical
Center will have a new name, Northeast Georgia Medical Center
Barrow. Learn more about Northeast Georgia Health System at
www.nghs.com, and connect with NGHS on Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter for the latest news about this exciting change.
In anticipation of this change, please check your insurance plan
to see if NGMC Barrow will be in network after January 1.
Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS),
which includes Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC),
Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) and
The Heart Center of Northeast Georgia Medical Center,
will be contracted with the following plans for 2017:
Health Insurance Exchange Plans
Medicare Plans
NGHS accepts these Health Insurance Exchange
plans (sometimes referred to as "Marketplace" plans
or "Obamacare") for 2017.
Medicare Advantage
Aetna Medicare
Cigna Healthspring
Coventry Healthcare (Advantra)
Alliant Solocare
Commercial Insurance Plans
Medicare Supplement
Northeast Georgia Medical Center & Health System
is a contracted 'in-network' provider with the
following managed care organizations.
NGHS accepts all forms of Medicare Supplement
insurance.
Aetna
Alliant Health Plans
Align Network Worker's Comp
Amerigroup Medicaid
Beacon Health (ValueOptions Psych)
Beechstreet
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia
(note: Doesn't include Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathway plans)
ChoiceCare - Humana
CIGNA Healthcare of Georgia
Coventry Healthcare Inc.
First Health Network (Coventry)
Health Partners
Humana
LifeSynch Psych (Humana)
Magellan Psych
Mental Health Network
Multi Plan
PHCS
SuperMed (formerly 1st Medical Network)
Tricare
UnitedHealthcare
Wellcare Medicaid
Non-contracted Medicare Advantage Plans*
If you have a Medicare Advantage PPO that is not
listed under our NGHS contracted plans, as a
courtesy NGHS will bill the plan as a non-participating
provider. This includes retirees with State Health
Benefit Plan (SHBP). insured by United Healthcare
and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia for the 2017
plan benefit year. SHBP retirees can still access
NGHS facilities and providers without penalty. For
benefit information, please call SHBP (800-610-1863)
or call UnitedHealthcare or Blue Cross Blue Shield
of Georgia.
NGHS offers the NGHS Medicare Insurance
Helpline, a totally free service provided by
MedicareCompareUSA, a Medicare-specialty
insurance agency that represents all NGHS accepted
Medicare Advantage plans and leading Medicare
Supplement insurers. Call toll free 1-866-391-7734.
Northeast Georgia Medical Center
BARROW
316 N Broad St., Winder, GA 30680 | nghs.com/insurance
o