Lady Cougars Set for New Season

Piedmont Academy’s varsity girls basketball team has a new season on the horizon and has been preparing for the 2019-2020 campaign in recent days under the direction of veteran coach Michael Wilson.

The Lady Cougars travel to Macon to begin the campaign Thursday against Windsor Academy at 6 p.m. Only the varsity girls will compete as the boys season has been delayed due to the state football playoffs.

“This year we have a lot of guarded optimism,” Wilson said. “We can have a successful year if we play together and stay healthy. We do not have nearly as much depth as we have had in the past but we have more experience on the roster than I think I’ve ever had on varsity.”

Despite lacking overall depth the Lady Cougars do have other strengths.

“We are going to be more athletic and faster than most, if not all, of the teams we play this year,” Wilson said. “We are looking to utilize that and play an up-tempo, transition game. We lost a lot points and two very good outside shooters last year to graduation in Madison McCart and Haley Hooper.”

The team lost a solid nucleus from last season but there is talent on this year’s squad.

This year we will have one senior in Madison Johnson. Additionally, the Piedmont varsity girls are returning three juniors who have been on varsity since eighth grade with Jayden Young, Sydney Stroud and Hailey Ann Frank. Sophomores Hannah Tyler, Raleigh Loftin, Mallory Kelly and Maddie Waddleton along with freshmen Haiden Crews and Dakota Floyd round out the roster.

“Madison is a phenomenal athlete who I’ve been on since the seventh grade to come and play,” Wilson said. “However, she didn’t play basketball until last year and that was a learning year for her. She has had a great summer and pre-season practice and I think she feels much more comfortable on the court this year. If she can take that comfort level to the court she will make a huge impact for us. She is so strong and fast that she will be very difficult to control in the post. She has great instincts as well. She sees the court and passes the ball as well as anyone on the roster.”

The team’s trio of juniors will also be looked to by their coach for leadership especially early in the season.

“That type of experience makes it very easy to run practice and communicate when all of us are on the same page and most importantly they understand what is being said, many times without it having to be said,” noted Wilson. “The experience they bring automatically places them in a role of leadership among their teammates and with that comes a lot of accountability and responsibility. The team will follow their lead and I will hold them to a much higher standard. This program has made great strides the last six years but we are not to the level we want to be. My expectations for these three transcend the basketball court.”

A team first attitude will also be counted on and expected.

“I expect them to be selfless, servant leaders who put the team’s success above their individual success,” Wilson said. “I know what they can do on the court, and they all are very talented players and what I will get from them. Now, they need to take that to the next level and make our team the best it can be.”

“It’s not always easy accepting and excelling in a role but at the end of the day, role players are vital in making teams the best they can be,” Wilson said. “Maddie Waddleton is back in the post for us this year and I am also excited in her progress.”

Waddleton had a standout freshman season and Wilson admits he probably didn’t utilize her enough in several games last year.

“That won’t happen again as long as she keeps working as hard as she has been and keeps doing what she did last year,” the coach said. “I’ve emphasized with her that if a post player out-works her opponent she will be the better player that night. She works constantly in the post. She gets her points by outworking and hustling. We haven’t had a post like her in five or six years. I like how she isn’t afraid to mix it up inside and how well she passes the ball and creates space on the court. She is very smart and coachable.”

Tyler and Loftin will provide key depth at guard.

“Raleigh and Jayden play a very similar game, they both are aggressive on defense and will guard anyone,” Wilson said. “Hannah can come off the bench and provide instant offense with her shooting as well as run with anyone and help dictate pace of play. Mallory is making the transition from guard to post this pre-season and is doing a great job at it. She plays excellent defense in the middle and offensively she has the ability to step out and hit the outside shot or make the shot in the lane. She has tremendous upside and I’m very pleased with her ability to take on a totally different position and work to get better at it.”

Crews and Floyd, both freshmen, will see playing time in the post as well.

“Haiden has a great foundation and just needs to play with confidence and results will follow,” Wilson said. “She has great touch on her attempts but what will really help us the most this year is her length and presence she can bring in the middle of the paint on defense. So often with young post players they focus on scoring but what will get them in the lineup more is being a dominant force on defense. Haiden is no different.”

“Dakota is in the same mold as Madison Johnson,” Wilson said. “She is relatively new to the sport but she is picking it up very quickly. She is our strongest player and arguably our best athlete and has really focused on basketball lately. It’s only a matter of time before she makes a difference on the court.”