Box Score

Demorest, GA - Free Will Baptist Bible College gave Piedmont an early run for its money Saturday afternoon, but the Lions prevailed for the second time this year in a 102-66 win at home as freshman Jessie Jenkins put on a showcase in front of the home crowd.  Despite the lopsided final line, a 36-point win for Piedmont, the contest was closer than meets the eye.  The first half featured three ties and three lead changes, but a late run for Piedmont gave the hosts a 39-30 advantage at the intermission.
 
Jenkins gave a solid performance that ended with a game and career-high 32 points, and made it a double-double by hauling in 10 boards to boot.  He was nearly perfect from the field, making nine of 10 shots, including a three, and was 13-for-14 at the charity stripe, where he leads the team in free throw attempts and free throws made.
 
Eleven different players scored for the men, including 17 points from junior Michael Ross and 11 by senior Josh Haymore.  Ross drilled four tri-fectas as Haymore added three as well; the team attempted one-third of its shots from beyond the arc, making nine of them.  As a unit, the Lions seemingly couldn't miss, shooting 51-percent on the afternoon.  Helping the cause was winning the rebounding battle, edging the Flames 51-38. 

Five minutes into the game, Piedmont held a 14-9 lead following Jenkins' lone three-pointer.  However, FWBBC responded with two unanswered treys and three more buckets, a 12-0 run, good for a 21-14 lead with 12 minutes to go in the half.  From there, Piedmont regained control and Jenkins led the charge with six straight points for the Lions, cutting the deficit to two, trailing 23-21.  Freshman Chris Meeks netted the game-tying basket at the 9:20 mark and Ross planted a go-ahead rainbow three with 8:07 left to give Piedmont the lead for good.
 
Free Will Baptist kept it close for the remainder of the half, but could only keep pace with the Lions, who ended the half with a 7-0 run.  Likewise, they opened the second frame also on a 7-0 run, making it 14 total unanswered points spanning the halves.  At that point the Lions had complete control with a 47-30 lead.  The Flames closed it to within eight points with 14 minutes to go, but that was as close as they'd get the rest of the way.
 
Piedmont then went on a game-best 16-2 run that was kicked off with back-to-back 3-pointers by Haymore within a 30-second span.  The lead was finally insurmountable for the visiting Flames, as they trailed 72-50 with under 10 minutes remaining.  Jenkins scored the team's next 10 points before senior Tracey Gardner made a layup and Haymore dialed up from long distance for the third time.  Jenkins checked out of the game with four minutes to go and a 27-point lead in hand.

Gardner was one of three Lions with six points, joining freshmen Richarson Myrthil and Dylan Delaney.  Meeks and sophomore Kyle Lundberg scored seven points each in the win, while Meeks also corralled eight rebounds.  Free Will Baptist (2-5) was led by David Landers with 21 points and Kendred Sides, who tallied 14 points and eight rebounds.  Piedmont played well defensively, being charged with a mere 12 fouls compared to the Flames' 27.
 
Piedmont moves to 2-3 on the season, improving to 2-0 inside Cave Arena after their second 100-point output in 2011-12. The Lions return to action next Saturday when they travel to Florida to take on Pensacola Christian College.