Around the Region: Local boxer Roger 'The Hitman' Hilley makes pro debut tonight at convention center

Assorted Sports Equipment on Black
Assorted Sports Equipment on Black

Chattanooga native Roger "The Hitman" Hilley will make his professional boxing debut tonight at the Chattanooga Convention Center. The 22-year-old product of the YCAP boxing program, like 23-year-old pros Ryan Martin and Avious Griffin, will fight Ronnie Watson, 28, from Wilson, N.C., in a 130-pound match on a card that includes one other pro bout for a Tennessee state title. Four young YCAP fighters will be on the undercard as well. Bell time is 7 p.m., and tickets are $20 at the door or online at eventbrite.com.

Basketball

- The Tennessee Wesleyan University basketball teams split with visiting Point University in an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader Wednesday. In the Lady Bulldogs' 60-56 win, Kenzie Conn came off the bench to score 19 points with six rebounds in 25 minutes. Hunter Simpson added 10 rebounds, nine points, four assists, three steals and two blocks, and Gina Dick had 10 points for TWU (5-7, 3-3). In the Bulldogs' 89-87 loss, Tre Tiller had 20 points and was joined in double-figure scoring by teammates QD Cox (14), Will Gardner (11) and Kenny Dean (10), who had eight rebounds and six assists. TWU is 7-3, 5-1.

- Amber Levi scored a career-high 31 points as Bryan's Lady Lions beat visiting Columbia (S.C.) 86-45 in AAC play Wednesday. Megan Billingsby added 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists, and Kaylee Smith also had 14 points for Bryan (3-6, 2-4).

- The Bryan men made 17 of their 42 3-point shots in Tuesday's 107-92 home win over Johnson University, with Reagan Johnson hitting five of 11 in scoring 26 points and Tyler Yoder making seven of 13 in his 24 points. Brice Cusick had 22 points and four assists and Oteriah Lee contributed 16 points, 11 assists, 11 rebounds and three steals for Bryan (2-10), while Wray Fuller added 12 points and 11 rebounds. Lee is one of only three NAIA men's players with triple-doubles this season. Kenny White had 28 points with four 3s and eight assists for the Knoxville team, and Taylor Gilpin had 18 points on six 3s.

- The Georgia Northwestern Technical College Bobcats beat the Tennessee Wesleyan junior varsity 83-74 on Tuesday at the Rossville Athletic Center after trailing by 17 points with just more than 12 minutes to play. Darrius Fugh had 26 points and 15 rebounds for the Bobcats (3-2), moving into second place in GNTC career scoring with 661 points, and Daniel Parrish scored 18. Alec Rattanaxay added 11 for the Bobcats, who with the Lady Cats will host the annual Tim Walthour Memorial Tournament this Friday and Saturday at the RAC. General admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students with no charge for children younger than 12 and GNTC students.

Lacrosse

- Lee University women's coach Addie Wadley has announced seven recent signees for her program in the spring semester of 2018, including Christa and Emma Hill from Farragut High School, Mason Cobb from Houston High near Memphis and Becca Broadwick from Penn High in Granger, Tenn. Two of the other three are from Ohio: Abbie Mercuri from Lake Catholic High in Mentor and Kaylyn Dillon from Jackson High in North Canton. Completing the group is home-schooled Abby Heffler from Eldersburg, Md. Christa Hill is a goalie, and she and Emma and Mercuri all included Lee's "great nursing program" among their reasons for picking the NCAA Division II school in Cleveland.

Track & Field

- The first season of track and field for Covenant College will begin in February and run until mid-April, according to the schedule announced Wednesday by coach Katie Stanford. The first meet is Sewanee's Tiger Invitational on Feb. 11 and the last is Sewanee's Mountain Laurel Invitational on April 14, and meets at Berry are set for March 4 and April 7-8. The Covenant teams will begin four consecutive weekends of competition March 17-18 at Emory in Atlanta. "This is an exciting time at Covenant," Stanford said in a school release. "We have a great group of athletes ready to get out on the track."

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