Newton Citizen

Former Rockdale basketball standout Justin Riggins is making a big impact as a freshman at Northwest Shoals Community College in Muscle Shoals, Ala.

Riggins scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed six rebounds in a victory over Faulkner State on Jan. 12. He also added five points and one rebound against Shelton State on Jan. 14.

Riggins is now averaging 10.1 points and 3.0 rebounds a game for Northwest Shoals. The freshman has started nine of 16 games.

BASKETBALL

Mitchell ranks 21st in NCAA in rebounding

Rockdale's Nicole Mitchell is ranked 21st in rebounding in NCAA Division III women's basketball.

The senior forward is averaging 12.1 rebounds a game for Agnes Scott College in games played through Jan. 8. She also leads the Great South Athletic Conference in rebounding.

She also ranks sixth in the Great South in steals per game at 2.2.

Mitchell tallied 12 points and eight rebounds in a victory over Maryville College on Jan. 13.

Dobbs, Cook among GJCAA statistical leaders

Truett-McConnell forward Jaquas Dobbs ranks in the top 10 of three different statistical categories in the Georgia Junior College Athletic Association.

The former Heritage standout is 10th in points per game at 12.5 per game, eight in rebounding at 6.9 per contest and second in field goal percentage at 58 percent.

Dobbs started the second semester with 15 points and seven rebounds in a loss to Middle Georgia. He then added 12 points in a loss to Atlanta Metropolitan College.

His Truett-McConnell teammate, freshman Torrio Cook from Eastside, is seventh in the league in 3-point field goal percentage at 35 percent. Cook scored 11 points in the loss to Middle Georgia.

Thomas pulls down career-high 12 rebounds

Salem's Joy Thomas pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds for Lawson State Community College in a victory over Snead State on Jan. 15. The freshman forward also scored five points in the contest.

Against Southern Union on Jan. 12, Thomas had five points and eight rebounds.

Thomas is averaging 5.3 points and 4.2 rebounds a game for Lawson State.

Burtts sees more action at Middle Tennessee

Former Rockdale standout Angelique Burtts recently notched a career-high six rebounds in a career-best 22 minutes for Middle Tennessee State University against Denver.

The redshirt freshman also scored seven points in the contest.

INDOOR TRACK

Wolcott places fourth in 800 meters

Heritage's Soibhan Wolcott collected a fourth-place finish for Kennesaw State University in the women's 800-meter run at the Joe Hilton Tar Heel Invitational in Chapel Hill, N.C., last Saturday.

Wolcott recorded a time of 2 minutes, 25.34 seconds. She was one of three KSU runners to crack the top 10 in the event.

If you know of former local athlete from Rockdale or Newton counties competing on the collegiate level, we'd like to hear from you. E-mail Kristen Lofton at sports@rockdalecitizen.com.