By Blake Colston
Sports Editor
It was payback time and Piedmont didn’t miss its opportunity.
The Wildcats got 16 points from Jeremiah Weay, 14 from Walker Kennedy and 12 from Colton Sydnes as PHS beat Tuttle 66-50 inside the Wildcat Athletic Center Friday evening.
The victory moved PHS to 10-3 overall and avenged the ‘Cats’ loss to Tuttle earlier this season.
“We took that first loss personally,” head coach Brandon Jackson said.
Piedmont’s defense was the catalyst from the start. The ninth-ranked Wildcats held the Tigers to just three points in the first quarter and made Class 4A No. 9 Tuttle uncomfortable for a majority of the game.
“As a team we took them out of their rhythm by flying around and forcing turnovers,” Weay said.
An 11-0 run midway through the second quarter by Piedmont put the Wildcats in control, and PHS widened its lead to 47-27 by the end of the third quarter.
Each time Tuttle (9-3) would try to close the gap, Piedmont had an answer. Sydnes provided the most emphatic response with a one-handed slam and later added an old-fashioned three-point-play to put the finishing touches on the victory.
Colton Sydnes with an athletic play to open the scoring for @Piedmont_Bball. #okpreps pic.twitter.com/WcUiyOk8dE
— Blake Colston (@CBlakeColston) January 14, 2023
“Last time we played them it was a bad loss,” Sydnes said. “We wanted to come out tonight with a lot of energy and punch them in the mouth.”
Piedmont did that and in the process reached 10 wins only two years after the program endured a winless season.
Jackson said the win is proof that the ‘Cats are making steady improvement.
“We were playing good the first time we played them, but not near as well as we’re playing now,” he said. “Tonight, we played with effort and energy for 32 minutes.”
Piedmont on Tuesday hosts Duncan.
GIRLS
Tuttle 38, Piedmont 28
Piedmont lost to Class 4A No. 3 Tuttle, but that didn’t necessarily mean the Lady Wildcats took a step back Friday night.
Sixth-ranked PHS hit seven 3-pointers and limited Tuttle star and University of Oklahoma signee Landry Allen to 10 points, well below her season average.
Senior guards Macy Lee and Khloe Carr each connected on three 3-pointers and finished with nine points apiece to lead PHS (8-5).
It was Piedmont’s third defeat in its last four games, but each loss has come to a Top 10 team in either Class 6A or Class 4A.
“We played really well tonight. We just didn’t make enough open looks,” head coach Eric Carr said. “They understand that and that comes with the maturity of having a bunch of seniors out there.”
Neither team started fast – Tuttle led 4-0 after a quarter – but the paced picked up in the second quarter and Piedmont forged a 13-10 lead at intermission despite a cold-shooting first half.
“We’re good defensively. We knew we were going to be and we’re better than I thought we were going to be, honestly,” Carr said. “I really like what we’re doing and where we’re at and how we’ve evolved.”
Tuttle (14-2) led by only three points after three quarters but held PHS to only six points over the final eight minutes to secure its seventh straight win.
“We’ve got to be able to get over the hump against really good teams,” Carr said. “I think we’re getting closer than we’ve been in the past.”
Piedmont hosts Duncan on Tuesday.
