Cougar Basketball Begins Next Week

Piedmont Academy’s varsity basketball teams will usher in a new season on Nov. 14 and both the Cougars and Lady Cougars will have new coaches leading them for 2017-2018.

Will Johnson will be coaching the varsity boys this season while Ron Holder will lead the varsity girls program. The season opener will be Tuesday against Loganville Christian Academy at home beginning at 6 p.m.

Johnson is a first time head coach. He played college football at Valdosta State University and is a graduate of Robert Toombs Academy. He said he also had the opportunity to play college basketball as well.

After helping coaching at his high school alma mater for one season, Johnson was hired at Piedmont. He is also a football assistant coach and will coach the school’s golf team this spring.

Practice is underway for the Piedmont teams. Johnson said the boys were not able to practice much back during the summer so the extended preseason work will be beneficial.

“We had a good first week of practice,” Johnson said. “The kids are energetic and working hard. That’s all I can ask.”

The new varsity boys coach said he will “set plays” and with such a deep group of players he expects to run the court a good bit as well.

“We have the luxury of two weeks of practice before our first game,” Johnson said. “I am excited about the season and the players are as well.”

Following the Nov. 14 season opener, the Piedmont teams will travel to Nathanael Greene Academy on Nov. 16. Those games also begin at 6 p.m.

Holder is also conducting preseason practices with the Lady Cougars. Both Holder and Johnson are looking to bring stability to the varsity basketball programs which have experienced a high level of coaching turnover in recent years.

During preseason work there has been a “big emphasis on the basics” for the Lady Cougars, their new coach said.

“I see a great deal of potential with the team,” Holder said. “We are improving with each practice.”

Holder said the assistance of coaches Michael Wilson and Mike McCart, both of whom have worked with the program in the past, has been very beneficial to him and the players.

“We are still real young but we do have a good bit of game experience,” Holder said.

Piedmont Academy’s Middle School boys basketball team will begin its season on Nov. 16 at Nathanael Greene at 5 p.m. Both Middle School teams will play Nov. 28 at Covenant Academy beginning at 3:45 p.m.

Holder is also coaching the Middle School boys and said he expects a strong season from them.

Lindsey Moore is coaching the Middle School Lady Cougars.