Piedmont sweeps
- Updated: January 29, 2022
Odam has another big fourth quarter to help Bulldogs rally past Saks, Ridley has big first half helping the Lady Bulldogs to a big lead
By East Alabama Sports Today
PIEDMONT – Stop us if you’ve heard this one before.
Alex Odam put Piedmont on his shoulders in the fourth quarter of a game it was in danger of losing, scoring 23 of 29 points, and leading the Bulldogs to a 53-48 victory over Saks in the potential preview of a Class 3A subregion game.
The Wildcats led 36-28 after a big third quarter.
“Just kind of got frustrated and then got hot in the fourth and we were able to pull it out,” Odam said. “We made a few defensive mistakes that we need to tighten up, but we are playing good right now and it’s the perfect time.”
The Bulldogs have won seven of their last eight, with the only loss coming to Anniston in the Calhoun County Tournament.
The fourth-quarter heroics are just what Odam does. In just the fourth quarter of the Bulldogs’ last five games, he has scored 76 points (twice going for 20-plus in the quarter) and gone 14-of-15 from the free throw line.
In games before that, he hit the game-winning shot in the Champions Classic semifinal in which he hurt his foot and scored six points in the final 1:12 of a key area win over Weaver when he first returned to test the foot.
For the year he’s averaging 9.4 in the fourth quarter, but he’s played sparingly in several of those 17 games. He’s averaging 23.8 for the season.
Piedmont won the girls game 62-17. Lele Ridley hit four 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the first half as the Lady Bulldogs opened 43-4 lead.
Ridley finished with 22 points. Ava Pope had 11 and Z’Hayla Walker had 10.
BOYS GAME
Piedmont 53, Saks 48
SAKS – Malik Carlisle 0 3-6 3, Shon Elston 3 1-2 9, Sean Parnell 5 1-2 12, Jalen McCants 5 1-2 11, Christian Smith 0 0-0 0, Rickey Garrett 2 0-0 4, Anthony Bothwell 1 2-2 5, Gavin Doss 1 2-2 4. Totals 17 10-16 48.
PIEDMONT – Alex Odam 10 7-8 29, Omarion Foster 3 2-3 8, Gavin Lawwler 0 0-0 0, Cassius Fairs 0 0-0 0, Cole Wilson 0 0-0 0, Ish Bethel 3 2-4 8, Chance Murphy 2 0-0 4, Coleman Reid 2 0-0 4. Totals 20 11-15 53.
Saks 5 13 18 12 – 48
Piedmont 11 10 7 25 – 53
3-point goals: Saks 4 (Elston 2, Parnell, Bothell); Piedmont 2 (Odam 2). Fouled out: Parnell. Total fouls: Saks 13, Piedmont 9. Officials: Kelley, Mallicoat, Jarrett.
GIRLS GAME
Piedmont 62 Saks 17
SAKS – Trenzly Bolding 0 0-0 0, Alonna Crews 2 1-3 5, Keilynn Williams 1 0-0 3, Kennedy Robinson 0 0-0 0, Monterria Christopher 0 0-0 0, Sania Angel 0 2-6 2, Kendal Williams 2 1-5 7, Kayleigh Thomas 0 0-1 0. Totals 5 4-15 17.
PIEDMONT – Ava Pope 4 2-2 11, Jasie Young 2 0-0 4, Rylie Anne Holbrooks 0 0-0 0, Jaycee Glover 0 1-2 1, Lele Ridley 6 6-8 22, Carson Young 1 0-0 2, Gracie Naugher 2 0-0 6, Z’Hayla Walker 5 0-0 10, Emily Farmer 2 2-2 6. Totals 22 11-14 62.
Saks 3 1 4 9 – 17
Piedmont 23 20 9 10 – 62
3-point goals: Saks 3 (Kl. Williams, Kd. Williams 2); Piedmont 7 (Pope, Ridley 4, Naugher). Fouled out: Holbrooks. Total fouls: Saks 9, Piedmont 18. Officials: Kelley, Mallicoat, Jarrett.
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