Box Score

Demorest, GA - The Lions controlled most of the game but were forced to cling on late for the 83-74 win over Covenant inside Cave Arena Wednesday night.  Piedmont used long-range shooting to garner its sixth win of the year.  The men shot 49-percent overall, including 44-percent from downtown on 11 3-pointers made, and a respectable 77-percent at the free throw line.

The Lions found themselves up 14 points at the half, but Covenant rallied back in the second half as the home team was able to hold them just enough to maintain the lead and walk out with a win.  Senior Josh Haymore made his final game in the Cave memorable, nailing a tri-fecta late in the second half to eclipse 1,000 career points at Piedmont.  The guard hit four downtown shots as part of his 13 points.  However, it was a freshman who stole the show for the men; Dylan Delaney dropped in 19 points, making five of six long shots in the win.  Fellow freshman Jessie Jenkins also contributed big with 14 points and seven rebounds.

The Lions scored the first six points of the contest and never again lost the lead.  As the game was tied at 10 five minutes into play, Delaney dialed from long distance.  Then when it was again tied at 14, it was senior Tracey Gardner with the dagger from beyond the arc, and about 40 seconds later he was joined by Haymore with a long bomb.  Haymore needed just 12 points coming into the game for 1,000, and sat at seven points going into the locker room.  His second triple came with over 10 minutes to go in the opening half, with Piedmont up nine.

The next eight Lions' points came from Delaney, highlighted by back-to-back threes.  It was all part of an 11-2 run that gave Piedmont a comfortable 16-point edge.  He connected again with 1:40 to go in the opener, while two Jenkins' free throws made it a 14-point halftime lead.  The roles were reversed in the second half, as Covenant slowly chipped away at the deficit, many times pulling within single-digits.  About midway through the second half, Haymore again hit an outside shot to give PC an 11-point cushion, which fluctuated the rest of the way, going from nine to 11 until the Scots saw daylight with a layup to come within six of the lead.

That's when Haymore came through once more, making his final three-pointer on the home court.  The deep shot grazed nothing but nylon, giving him 1,001 career points on what ended up being his final field goal attempt on the home floor.  Delaney's last trey came moments later when it again became a six-point game, but was drawn back out to nine.  Piedmont would ice the game with 11 free throws made down the stretch without making another shot from the field.  Six of the freebies were made by sophomore Kyle Lundberg, who finished with 14 points and five assists.  Gardner had nine points and four rebounds in his last game at home, while another senior Josh Chapman tallied two points.  

Piedmont improves to 6-18 and 2-5 in GSAC action.  The men end the regular season with a trip to Huntingdon College Saturday afternoon.