Three SGTC Jets recognized by GCAA

March 13, 2025
Shown above are the three Jets recognized by the GCAA Division I men’s basketball league for their performances on the court this season. They are Hendrens Bartelus (1), Aiden Fitzgerald (20), and Jalexs Ewing (0).
Shown above are the three Jets recognized by the GCAA Division I men’s basketball league for their performances on the court this season. They are Hendrens Bartelus (1), Aiden Fitzgerald (20), and Jalexs Ewing (0).

   Three South Georgia Technical College Jets basketball players have been recognized by the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA) Division 1 men’s basketball conference for their athletic performance on the court for the 2024 – 2025 season.

   Freshman forward Hendrens Bartelus was named to the GCAA Division 1 All-Defensive Team as well as the All-Freshman squad.  Freshman guard Jalexs Ewing and freshman forward Aiden Fitzgerald were both named to the GCAA All Region Honorable Mention squad.  The All-Region teams were selected by the GCAA Men’s Division 1 basketball coaches.

   “I am super excited for these young men,” said SGTC Jets head basketball coach Chris Ballauer.  “they have worked hard this year and to be rewarded just shows that hard work pays off.”

   The Jets finished the season in fourth place in the GCAA Division I regular season with a 9 – 7 record but lost in the NJCAA Region XVII tournament quarter-finals to Georgia Highlands 71 – 69.  They finished the season 12 – 19 overall.

   Hendrens Bartelus, the 6’ 5” forward from Lake Worth, FL, led the GCAA Division 1 men’s basketball league in total rebounds per game averaging 10.1.  He also led the Jets with a total of 283 rebounds this season.  He played and started in all 31 games for the Jets this season.  He also had 63 assists, which was the most for the Jets, 33 steals and 53 blocked shots this season.  He scored a total of 301 points for the Jets which was the 22nd highest in the league. He was selected All-Freshman and All-Defensive for his efforts.

   Aiden Fitzgerald, a 6’ 8” freshman forward from Perth, Australia, and Jalexs Ewing, the 6’ 2” freshman guard from Augusta, GA, were both named to the GCAA All-Region Honorable Mention squad in Division 1.  Fitzgerald was SGTC’s leading scorer with 337 points this season.  He played in 30 of the Jets games and shot 40.7 percent from the field, 34.2 percent from the three-point line and hit 83.3 percent of his foul shots.  He was the 19th best point producer in the Division 1 league. He also contributed 61 rebounds, 12 assists, 13 steals and six blocked shots.

   Jalexs Ewing was the leading scorer for the Jets in the conference games with 227 points.  He shot 48.1 percent from the field and was a 44 percent three-point shooter.  He hit 57.6 percent of his free throws.  He also had a total of 92 rebounds, 54 assists, 20 steals and 10 blocked shots.