Defense never rests
- Updated: January 15, 2022
Piedmont shuts down PV scorer, puts three of its own in double figures and runs to victory
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE – The last thing Piedmont coach JoJo Odam told his players before they broke the pregame huddle was remember Thursday night. Specially, remember Garrett Cranmer.
The Pleasant Valley gunner went for 28 against Piedmont in a tight area game – and 36 in his Calhoun County Tournament opener Friday – and the Bulldogs didn’t want a repeat in their tournament game Saturday.
They held Cranmer to one second-quarter free throw and the game wasn’t nearly as close as the other night as they won 70-36. They will play third-seeded Anniston Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
“I just think we just got after it defensively a lot better,” Odam said. “We did a good job guarding Cranmer tonight. We talked about getting him under control.
“That’s what we talked about right before we came out. I said he had 28 on us the other night and they all seemed kind of shocked. I said if we can stop him from getting 28 we can (win).”
In Cranmer’s defense, early foul trouble limited his effectiveness. In Piedmont’s defense of a wider margin, the Bulldogs had Alex Odam back in the lineup.
The junior scoring machine returned from a foot injury that limited his availability the last three weeks and he scored 15 points. He now needs 15 to surpass current Piedmont girls coach Terrace Ridley as the school’s all-time leading scorer regardless of gender.
“I feel a lot better,” Odam said. “This was kind of the day we had set, after the Weaver game when it was hurting still, the Calhoun County Tournament was kind of like our goal to get me back.”
Freshman Ish Bethel, who has played a big role in picking up the offense in Odam’s absence, led the Bulldogs with 17 points. Coleman Reid also scored 15 for the Bulldogs, capping a big week.Reid has averaged nearly 11 points in three games this week.
“We knew he had it, but he hadn’t really had that game this year,” Alex Odam said of Reid. “To have it here was big for us. Thursday night kind of (made him mad) a little bit. It was too close for comfort. It didn’t sit too well with us.”
Piedmont 70, Pleasant Valley 36
PLEASANT VALLEY – Braxton Williams 0 0-0 0, Braydon Maye 1 2-2 4, Garrett Cranmer 0 1-2 1, Jacob Teal 1 0-0 2, Dalton Haynes 0 0-0 0, Braden Robinson 2 2-2 7, Kolby Battles 5 3-4 13, Zeke Johnson 1 0-0 3, Kyle Smith 1 0-0 4, Braxton Freeman 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 8-10 36.
PIEDMONT – Alex Odam 7 0-0 15, Gavin Lawler 2 0-0 5, Cassius Fairs 1 0-0 3, Cole Wilson 1 0-0 2, Ridge Fagan 1 0-0 2, Ish Bethel 7 1-1 17, Jake Rhinehart 0 0-0 0, Chance Murphy 3 1-1 7, Coleman Reid 7 1-1 15, Rhett Alford 1 2-3 4. Totals 30 5-6 70.
Pleasant Valley 9 9 14 4 – 36
Piedmont 23 10 24 13 – 70
3-point goals: PV 2 (Robinson, Johnson); Piedmont 5 (Odam, Lawler, Fairs, Bethel 2). Total fouls: PV 10, Piedmont 9.
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