Box Score

Demorest, GA -- The Piedmont College men's basketball team had little trouble with Toccoa Falls College earlier this evening in the home team's season opener as the Lions knocked off the visiting Eagles 107-59 in front of the Cave Crazies just before Thanksgiving break.  Leading by double digits for all but seven minutes of the 40 minute contest, the Lions cruised to the 48 point victory posting their highest scoring output since hanging 111 on Methodist University in January of 2010. 

Piedmont never trailed in tonight's contest after senior Tracey Gardner's jumper 24 seconds into the game gave the Lions a 2-0 advantage as the home team had it going early and often on the offensive end of the court. Allowing just ten points to the Eagles over the first eight minutes of action, PC went on a dominating 17-1 run over just a three minute stretch capped off by a Josh Haymore three-point bucket, his second from downtown in a two minute span.

That run which began with a little over 13 minutes left in the first half saw PC extend its growing advantage to 36-11 at the midway point though the Eagles would try to keep the game from getting away with their own efforts.  After the Lion lead balloned to 25 points four times over the next few minutes, Toccoa Falls continued to chip away as Andrew McGarvey and Josh Barrett hit back-to-back threes to cut into the Piedmont lead with three and some change remaining before the break.

With their lead being cut down to 12 by a second three from Barrett, freshman Chris Meeks hit a jumper to end an 11-0 run from Toccoa just before another Haymore tri-fecta and a layup from classmate Gardner put PC back up by 19.  Though a Toccoa basket went through with a few seconds remaining in the first, Piedmont carried a 54-37 lead into the lockerroom at halftime tallying 21 points off 16 first half turnovers from Toccoa.

In the second half, the Lions clamped down defensively surging off the bevy of turnovers caused in the first 20 minutes to keep the pressure on the Eagles forcing 12 more in the final 20 minutes with that second half turnover total by Toccoa equaling Piedmont's turnovers on the night.  The Lions' defense also suffocated the Eagles' shooting in the second half holding the visitors to just 26.7% from the field allowing them to hit on just over 36% of their tries on the evening.

Piedmont's lead exploded up to 30 points at the 9:52 mark in the second period after freshman Dylan Delaney connnected on his fourth effort from behind the arc to put PC up 80-50.  After the lead hit 40 points care of a Richarson Myrthil free throw with just under six minutes to play, the green and gold faithful in the Cave knew the story of the night had been written as Piedmont cruised to the 107-59 decision in its season opener. 

Scoring 26 in his Piedmont debut to lead all Lions scorers was freshman Jessie Jenkins who connected on 11 of his 15 tries to shoot 73% from the field in 21 minutes of action while also tying for the team high in rebounds with seven. The well ballanced PC offensive attack saw four tally double digit scoring totals including youngster Dylan Delaney who also crested 20 points in his first game with the green and gold tabbing 21 on seven of 15 shooting including five three-pointers.

Senior Josh Haymore was steady from the field as usual tallying 19 points on 70% shooting collecting four tri-fectas to follow up his record setting run in 2010-11 where he broke PC NCAA era marks in three point field goals made both in a single game and single season.  As the fourth Lion to reach double digits in the scoring column, Tracey Gardner was also effective offensively scoring ten points connecting on five of his seven tries while also pulling down three boards, posting three assists, and collecting four steals.

Sitting atop the Piedmont leaders in rebounds with the freshman Jenkins was sophomore returner Kyle Lundberg who had seven while also picking up three steals to go with his pair of assists.  Pulling down four rebounds in his first game for the Lions, Richarson Myrthil had eight points connecting on three of five shots during his time on the court while veteran Michael Ross had a half dozen in the scoring column along with a trio of boards.

For the Lions, the win is the second straight home opening victory after having defeated Toccoa in overtime to open the 2010-11 season.  Piedmont is now 1-0 overall in 2011-12 and will ready for its next test, a date with USA South foe Methodist University set for this Saturday, November 22nd with tipoff slated for a 2:00 pm afternoon start in Fayetteville, NC.