Lady Cougars Seek Another Championship
Piedmont Academy’s girls basketball program is going through its most successful span in program history. The Lady Cougars will look to earn more trophies in the 2024-25 season. Piedmont takes the court for its season opener on Tuesday, Nov. 12, against Edmund Burke as part of a tournament hosted by Briarwood Academy. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
“This is a big season for us,” veteran coach Michael Wilson said. “The girls are excited and I can tell they are focused. These seniors have grown up and achieved so much and I think they want to go out on a high note. We talk about legacy and leaving the program better than you found it and what they have a chance to accomplish would cement this group of girls as one of the best, if not best ever teams to come from the GIAA. We all know what comes with these expectations and they all know the work it will take to give ourselves a chance to do it. We aren’t going to hide behind any facade, we have one goal and it’s to be the last team standing, again. This time it will just be in Class AAA.”
The Lady Cougars will be competing in the same region with First Presbyterian, John Milledge, Mount de Sales, Stratford and Tattnall Square. Piedmont is in District 6 for Class AAA/AAAA in the GIAA.
“Winning championships is never easy and to repeat and then be in a realistic position, if everyone stays healthy, to do it again is probably a once in a career group,” Wilson said. “So, we are going to balance enjoying what we have with continuing to work on being better every day in practice. I’ve said it for the last five years — these girls are winners. They know what it takes and it spreads to the younger girls and how they work in practice.”
Opponents will not be able to stale near as much starting this season.
“It helps now with the shot clock but we also are able to throw many different defensive looks at other teams in hopes to confuse or speed them up,” Wilson said. “So often, when people are confused or uncomfortable their internal clock gets turned up and that’s what we want.”
There were some loses to last year’s title team but the cupboard is anything but empty.
“We have a lot coming back and have made some additions with girls who haven’t been out in a couple of years that will fill in some areas for us,” Wilson said. “Obviously, it starts with Marissa Holder. Individually, what she’s accomplished is pretty amazing. Her point total is eye-popping but she also has over 1,000 rebounds, 500 assists,and 400 steals in a little over 100 games. She’s a complete player, the most complete player I’ve ever coached, male or female, and I think her stats show just how unselfish she is. Her range is gym door to gym door and her IQ far exceeds her age. She’s a special player and if healthy, I don’t think any one player can stop her consistently over the course of a game. You don’t score 2,149 points if that’s the case.”
Kylee Keck is cut from the same mold.
Wilson said Teagan Hinson has come the farthest of the team’s seniors.
That trio is the backbone of the team and their coach calls them leaders on and off the court. “All three are top 5% of the class academically and I don’t think either of these successes are by accident,” Wilson said. “They are the product of great parents who instilled the importance of a great work ethic and gave them the necessary traits to excel athletically.”
Underclassman Sarah Ellen Stroud is cut from the same mold as those three.
The Lady Cougars also have Taylor Jenkins coming back for her sophomore season who is a tremendous athlete with great size.
Two other freshmen, Abbey Moore and Naomi Mask got some time on the court last year. They both will see their playing time increase this year. Wilson said both are very good defenders and have a lot of potential to develop into really good all around players over the next few years.
“We also have junior Kolbee Osborne and senior Emily Whitwell coming back out to play this year,” Wilson said.
While the expectations are high for the 2023-24 team, Wilson said that is the way everyone wants it.
“Ultimately, this season’s success lies in our hands and while that may seem a dangerous thing to say, I know these girls,” he said. “I’ve seen them perform and they are fun to watch. I’ve said it before, this is a team that if you haven’t seen play, you need to before they all graduate. This group is special and special doesn’t come around often.”