Demorest, GA – The Piedmont College men’s basketball team came up just one point shy of the century mark Tuesday night in a 99-71 win over visiting Kentucky Christian University (2-10) in Cave Arena during the last men’s home game of the calendar year.
The Lions ran away with the game in the second half using a double-double performance from veteran JESSIE JENKINS who led his team in rebounding with 14, one behind the team season-high of 15 by JUSTIN VALLEJO from Saturday’s game.
Jenkins finished the night with 14 points as well going a perfect eight of eight from the charity stripe. As a team, the Lions out-rebounded the Knights 46 to 41 but gave up 22 offensive rebounds to the visitors which led to 23 second-chance points, 15 in the second half alone.
The two squads were neck-and-neck over the first eight minutes until Piedmont exploded with a 16-0 run over the next four minutes, a stretch that included back-to-back three’s from sophomores TRAE GAINES and PEYTON LUKEN.
Sophomore CHASE ENGLAND the bright spot with a game-high 28 points going 11 for 13 from the field with his only two misses rattling in and out. The sophomore was a perfect three of three from distance as well as he has now scored in double figures in six of his team’s seven games this season.
After those 16 straight points in the first half, Piedmont would never again yield the lead holding a 13-point advantage at the half (47-34) after England drilled a deep three-point try with time expiring. Piedmont led for the rest of the night by double-digits with the advantage balloning up to 20 on a pair of free throws by Jenkins with six minutes to play in the second half.
A NICK RYAN free throw made the lead 31, the largest of the evening, with about 30 seconds remaining and a three from Kentucky Christian just after would set the final at 99-71.
With the win, Piedmont improves to 4-3 and snaps a 2-game losing streak. Under Head Coach Greg Neeley, the Lions have now won five of six non-conference home games over the last two seasons.
The Lions will be back in action this weekend traveling up to play in the 2014 Rotary Holiday Classic hosted by Hood College with their first game coming on Saturday, December 20 against Eastern Mennonite. Tip off is set for 6:00 pm.
A consolation game and a championship game are set for the following day at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. A preview of the four-team tournament in Maryland is available here courtesy of the Office of Sports Information at Hood College.
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