Piedmont Boys Face Tough Foes

Piedmont Academy’s varsity boys basketball team fell to Solid Rock last week 78-64.

Despite a 23-point performance by Ryan Holder the Cougars could not emerge with a win during the Jan. 28 home contest. Tate Marks added 10 points while Caleb Coffey finished with nine.

Solid Rock held a 34-31 halftime lead with that margin cut to two points after the third quarter. The fourth quarter turned out to be the difference as Piedmont was outscored 25-13 in the final eight minutes.

Luke Welch added six points while Mason Mize finished with five. Jackson Welch was injured early in the contest.

“I thought we played well at times,” coach Will Johnson said. “They have players who are 6-11, 6-9 and 6-5. That is as big as many college teams. For us to have a chance to win the game says a lot about us. They are a team that just wears you down.”

With Piedmont’s tallest player at 6-3 the height difference was a factor.

Johnson said Payton Wallace and Mize both contributed well in the contest.

“They just throw it up to their big post players and there is not much we can do,” Johnson said. “

The varsity boys fell to Furtah, the defending state champion, 56-49 on Friday. Trailing by double digits at halftime the Cougars fought back into the game.

“We settled down in the third quarter,” Johnson said. “We tied the game with two minutes left. That shows what type of team we have and that was without Jackson. Furtah is also a big team with players at 6-8 and 6-6. One of their players has committed to Berry.”

Piedmont’s coach noted that the loss to Furtah Prep was the seventh of the season for the Cougars in which they either had a lead or were tied in the fourth quarter.

“That is frustrating for players and coaches,” Johnson said. “We have to learn how to finish games. No one in our classification is going to give you a win. We can’t be satisfied coming close.”

Bradley Greenwood played what his coach called “the best game of his career” against Furtah. With Furtah Prep focusing on stopping Marks and Holder, Greenwood scored 18 points. Coffey also had a big game with 18 points.

It was the second time this season they battled the defending state champion. In the first meeting the game went to overtime before Furtah emerged with a win.

The Cougars got back on the winning track Monday defeating rival Flint River on the road. Luke Welch led the team with 16 points in the 50-46 victory.

Coffey added 10 points in Monday’s contest while Holder scored nine. Marks added eight points while Wallace finished with five.

Piedmont will play at John Milledge on Thursday before traveling to St. George’s on Friday. Both games begin at 7:30 p.m.

The region basketball tournament will begin Monday, Feb. 10, at LaGrange Academy.