Basketball Lady Cougars Complete Season
The Piedmont Academy Lady Cougars basketball team recently completed the 2017-2018 season.
Coach Michael Wilson said the players accomplished several of their goals during the campaign and while the team just missed qualifying for the state tournament, the team still had a definite season of improvement.
“Overall, I thought we had a great basketball season,” the coach said. “We won more games than in the last several years and we competed in nearly all of them. We lost five games by two possessions or less. There is a lot to look forward to in regards to next year and beyond with this program. I’m so proud of all of them and losing like we did hurts a lot.”
With the team missing the state tournament by so close of a margin there was a great deal of emotion after the final game.
“There were a lot of tears shed and that’s tough to see as a coach because you feel like you let a group of kids down,” Wilson said. “But, on the other hand, you like to see that commitment and passion. You’d just not prefer to see it like that because it sticks with you as an adult. You hate to see kids hurt but it definitely serves as a motivating factor for me to get better and to get right back at it.”
The final region in the region tournament for the Lady Cougars against Thomas Jefferson was tough, Wilson said, because Piedmont was up 16-5 in the second quarter and just went cold from the floor.
“We only had 11 turnovers for the game and if you’d have told me that I would have guaranteed a win,” the coach said. “We made seven of our first 18 attempts and then finished the game only making seven of our next 53.
We were 10-of-22 from the foul line. We did everything right but make baskets. It’s part of the game but it’s part of the game we can spend the next eight months improving on and making sure it doesn’t happen. I think this team can really make noise next year if we continue to improve game shooting.”
Senior Alexis Dodson had a standout season for the Lady Cougars, averaging seven points and 10.6 rebounds per game.
“I think her work ethic on the court spread to everyone and that’s what a leader does,” Wilson said. “She definitely left this program in better shape than it was when she arrived and much of our future success will be because of what she provided for us and left her teammates.”
The Lady Cougar coach said Madison McCart also had a great year, but especially a great last 10 games.
“She stepped up her game and provided the scoring, rebounding and overall attitude we needed,” Wilson said. “She is someone every other team keys on when they play us and that is a hard challenge to meet but as she has matured she has embraced it. In our last game she scored 13 points, had 13 rebounds and most importantly did not have any turnovers. I’m excited for what she will do next year and if she keeps the same maturity and mindset she will be very difficult to contain on the floor.”
The return of Lucy Tuggle was a big factor in the team’s success.
“Next year she will a handful for teams to stop,” her coach said. “She does a great job at creating opportunities and scoring. Her shot has continued to improve and while she was frustrated with some inconsistency this year, that will only serve to make her better in the future. She competes and she wants to win and she was willing to do whatever the team needed.”
Wilson said having two six-footers in girls basketball is a huge advantage and I think those two have only scratched the surface on what they can help us achieve next year. This summer will be paramount to maximizing their on-court chemistry for next season.
Deacon Robinson and Gracie Hunt embraced their roles and as the season went on they and the team found out how valuable each were to us, Wilson said.
“With Gracie out with an ankle sprain in region it really hampered our outside shooting and she was hitting her stride when it occurred,” the coach said. “I hate it for her because I know how much she wanted to be on the court. It’s part of the game and a life lesson but one you hate to have to learn. Deacon really improved as the year went on with her physicality in the paint and her rebounding and getting two or three baskets a game by being around the paint with her offensive rebounding.”
Piedmont benefited from having three freshmen who grew up on the court. All three did a great job of taking better care of the basketball as the season went on.
“Sydney Stroud really started to grow as a point guard and as she did we became much more cohesive on offense,” Wilson said. “She, along with Jayden Young and Haley Ann Frank are just tenacious on defense and really create opportunities for us. They are going to continue to learn the game and only improve in that area. All three provide something different on offense and that creates a nice flow. Sydney is great at penetrating and shooting or kicking to the open player. Haley Ann has great ability to drive and draw fouls and her jump shot is going to be dangerous as she gets older. Jayden always finds the ball. She’s a great rebounder for a guard and has the ability to find herself open a lot on offense.”
Wilson believes with that core coming back and the experience Hannah Tyler and Maddie Waddleton gained playing varsity this year, along with the other eighth graders who are coming up will provide the depth the team desperately needs and also push some of the returners for starting spots and playing time.