Cougar Girls, Boys Both Earn Two Wins

A balanced team effort helped the Piedmont Academy Lady Cougars basketball team earn a 48-38 win against long-time rival Gatewood on January 24.

Marissa Holder scored a game-high 18 points to pace the Lady Cougars while Teagan Satterfield added nine and Kylee Keck and Jacie Jenkins both finished with six points.

Piedmont led by three points at halftime and held a slim two-point advantage after the third quarter.

Two key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter by Satterfield proved to be a key difference in the final outcome.

Bailey Mobley added five points while Haiden Crews and Callie Brannon both scored two.

The Lady Cougars also defeated Central Georgia Arts 53-21 last Thursday. Three players finished in double figures including Satterfield (15), Holder (13) and Breck Piedra (13).

The Lady Cougars fell to Westminster on the road 52-48 on Friday. Holder led the team with 20 points, including two 3-pointers.

Keck added nine points while Satterfield and Jenkins both scored eight.

“Last week was a mixed bag in terms of how we played,” said coach Michael Wilson. “We’ve been emphasizing getting on the boards and rebounding better and I thought we did a good job of that.

“We are not shooting as well as I think we are capable of and when you rely on outside shooting and struggle with it teams have a tendency to press. I think we are thinking too much about the shot right now and as a result we aren’t as sharp in other areas.”

The coach said he knew the game with Gatewood would be tough.

“Gatewood is always a battle and I thought they played a really good game against us,” he said. “We had trouble getting a flow on offense but I thought we battled in defense and were able to pull away late. Midway through the third quarter it was tied and we did a good job stopping them and executing our offense.”

The Lady Cougars then earned a win against Central Georgia Arts.

“That was a good game for us,” Wilson said. “We were able to get everyone in and work on some things in a game. Offensively we fall into the habit of standing and waiting on our looks but I thought as the game went on we developed better movement.”

The loss on Friday was disappointing.

“Friday was a tough one,” Wilson said. “We were disappointed in losing a region game. They are a solid team but when you end the first quarter down 19-8 and fight back and are up five with 1:30 you gotta close the game out.

Our last four possessions were turnovers and that’s uncharacteristic of us.

“It was a tough environment and they were able to play a really physical defense and I think it wore on us. We played really well defensively for three quarters minus a few possessions and each one of those they capitalized.”

Piedmont’s boys fell to Gatewood 60-54 despite a 21-point game from Spencer Carter. Luke Welch (12 points) and Chase Taylor (11 points) both finished in double figures.

Elijah Dominguez finished with six points while Mason Morris and Corbett Crews both scored two.

The boys cruised to a 76-29 win against Central Georgia Arts. It was a complete team effort as everyone saw playing time and 11 scored points.

Gavin McCart led the way with 16 points while Carter scored 14 and Dominguez finished with 13, Corbett Crews also had a double digit effort with 11 points.

Also contributing were Owen Piedra (4), Gabe Moore (4), Morris (2), Barrett Downing (2), Hunter Thomson (2) and Taylor (2).

The Cougars also defeated Westminster 61-57 behind the 1-2 punch of Dominguez (26) and Welch (17). Dominguez made five field goals, four 3-pointers and four free throws.

Crews added eight points with Taylor and Carter both scoring two.