Lady Cougars Post Two Wins; Piedmont Boys Defeat Westminster
The Piedmont Academy basketball teams have now jumped into the new season with both feet.
Both varsity teams played three times in the past week with the Lady Cougars posting two wins. Coach Wes Tanner’s team defeated Nathanael Greene 45-30 Friday before holding off Westminster 49-47 Saturday. The Lady Cougars were overmatched against John Milledge Monday but are now 2-2 on the season.
“We are playing really streaky right now,” Tanner said. “Our biggest battle is playing on a consistent level and playing with some grit and resolve. We will get better. It’s just going to take a lot of sweat and hard work.
In Friday’s win against Nathanael Greene, Hailey Burnham and Anna Jones both scored a game-high 14 points. Heather Tyler added eight points while Beth Ann Mahaffey and Savannah McGinnis added two each. Lanie King made a first-quarter free throw.
The following day’s game saw the Lady Cougars lead 24-21 at halftime against Westminster and 36-27 after the third quarter. Westminster outscored the Lady Cougars 20-13 in the final eight minutes but fell short by two points.
Burnham scored 20 points to pace Piedmont followed by Jones with 14. Lucy Strickland and Carley Cain added four points each while King finished with three. Kacy Swart and Mahaffey finished with two points each.
Points were hard to come by for the Lady Cougars in Monday’s game at John Milledge. Burnham was held to six points, well below her season average, while Tyler and King added two each.
The Piedmont Academy boys defeated Westminster 40-15 Saturday behind a 17-point performance from Justin Wilson. Bobby Mitchell added 10 points while Drew Collins added a three-pointer. Britton Bailey, Hank Strickland, Tyler Cullum, Zach Beggs and Jakey Dunagan all scored two points.
The win followed a 50-45 setback to Nathanael Greene the previous night on the road. Piedmont led 33-31 after the third quarter, but the host Patriots outscored the Cougars 19-12 in the final eight minutes.
Mitchell scored 18 points for Piedmont followed by Davis Kimball with 10 and Wilson with seven. Beggs and Cullum added four points each while Dunagan scored two.
The Cougars fell 45-32 to John Milledge Monday on the road. Thirteen points from Wilson and 11 from Mitchell weren’t quite enough. Piedmont fell behind by 13 points at halftime and was unable to catch up. Kimball finished with four points while Beggs and Collins both scored two.
“We are having a tough time finishing right now,” said Piedmont boys coach Josh Daher. “I think it is something that will get better at as the year progresses. Our defense is doing a good job of keeping the game close and giving us a chance to win at the end. We have to continue to get better handling and passing the basketball.
“We have a great group of kids who are willing to work hard and get better, and, as a coach, that is all I can ask for. Now it is our job to improve as much as we possibly can.”
The Piedmont teams return to action Friday and Saturday when they play games at Tiftarea Academy. Games begin Friday against Terrell Academy at 7 p.m. and against host Tiftarea Saturday at 4 p.m.