DEMOREST, Ga. – For the fourth straight time in conference play, the Piedmont men’s basketball team has come away victorious as the Lions silenced Covenant in a 90-85 win Thursday inside Cave Arena. Seniors Ryan Jolly and Noah Reardon combined for more than half of Piedmont’s point total, with 47 points between the two.
In the opening minutes of play, Covenant took an early advantage despite having just one player with points on the board as David Compere raced out of the gate with the Scots’ first 12 points. In just over five minutes of play, Compere was 4-of-6 from beyond the arc as Covenant led 12-8.
Piedmont was shooting well from 3-point range also as Noah Reardon was 3-for-3 from deep in the first nine minutes of play, and Piedmont was shooting 50% from 3-point range in the first 12 minutes with five 3-pointers.
The Lions’ defense held Covenant scoreless for over five minutes midway through the first half to take a 22-12 lead off a 14-0 run. Piedmont’s largest lead of the game would come just before the half as they held a 14-point advantage before a buzzer-beating 3-pointer for the Scots heading into halftime as the score was 44-33 at the break.
Covenant gave chase in the second half, keeping the Lions within striking distance, and worked it down to a five-point game, 59-54, with 11:16 remaining. From that point on, it was a single-digit difference between the two as the Scots chipped away at the lead and got it down to just one point with 3:15 to play.
Piedmont was able to stave off the comeback down the stretch, converting on some crucial opportunities in the paint and then at the charity stripe.
A 3-pointer from Jolly with 1:04 to go proved to be the clincher as that put the Lions up seven, and Piedmont shot 6-of-8 from the free-throw line in the final 34 seconds.
𝙎𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥.
Jolly & Reardon combine for 47 points as the Lions win their fifth straight game & fourth in a row in CCS competition! pic.twitter.com/7R95dFgmTW
— Piedmont Basketball (@Lions_MBB) February 16, 2024
Up next, the Lions host Berea inside Cave Arena on Saturday, February 17, at 4 p.m. on senior day.
TURNING POINT:
–Jolly was stellar down the stretch scoring seven points in the final 1:04 of the game including going 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
—Ryan Jolly scored 27 points to lead all players while Noah Reardon added 20 for the Lions.
–Jolly was 9-of-12 from the field while Reardon added five of Piedmont’s 11 3-pointers.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
–Piedmont never trailed in the second half despite the lead dwindling to one with 3:15 to play.
