East Hall High graduate Sada Wheeler was named to the First Team All-Region in Division-III basketball on Tuesday by D3hoops.com.
In Piedmont College's 21-5 season, Wheeler averaged 16.6 points per contest while hauling in 12.3 rebounds, as well as adding 4.5 blocks per game. Her 59.1 percent field goal percentage was third best nationally. She ranked second in the nation among Division-III players in blocked shots, sixth in double-doubles with 17, and 15th in rebounding.
Wheeler’s career saw her eclipse 1,000 career points in the final game of the season against LaGrange College.
PIEDMONT FRESHMAN HONORED: Piedmont College freshman Jessie Jenkins was named Rookie of the Year by D3hoops.com for the south region.
Jenkins tallied 13.5 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per contest, both team-highs for the Lions.
He saw more minutes on the floor (25.4) than all but one teammate, while shooting .554 from the field and .524 from the three-point line. Jenkins was also the second-best shooter at the free throw line for Piedmont (.766).
The versatility of Jenkins was on full display this season, as he could be seen slamming highlight dunks, hitting big-time 3-pointers, nailing clutch jumpers and free throws, and pulling down rebounds while also ranking second on the team in blocks (11). On eight occasions, Jenkins tallied a double-double in the 2011-12 campaign.
LADY LIONS WIN TWO AT HOME: Piedmont College softball opened Great South Athletic Conference play with a pair of wins at home Tuesday evening over Covenant College, winning the first game 2-0 and an extra-inning 3-2 win in game two. Sophomore Brittney Head tossed a complete game shutout for the Lady Lions (6-4) win in the opener, going seven strong innings while giving up six hits and one walk, striking out eight hitters along the way. She then came on in relief in the second game, picking up her second win of the day and fourth of the season.
The Lady Lions won the opener with fewer hits than the visiting Lady Scots, tallying just five hits. However, it was senior Emily Cheek’s RBI groundout in the third inning before adding an insurance run in the sixth courtesy of Head’s run-scoring, two-out base hit to right field, plating junior Jamie Dennis. Fellow junior Taylor Morgan notched a pair of hits in the win.
In game two, Piedmont came back on two instances to tie the game late. The game was deadlocked in a scoreless tie until the sixth, when the Lady Scots put the first run on the board on a double. After the visitors pulled ahead again in the final inning of regulation, Megan Kesler scored on an error after leading off with a double for the Lady Lions.
McClain collected a one-out double for Piedmont, and Morgan then came up with a huge sacrifice bunt that the pitcher fielded and threw into the outfield, scoring McClain with the walkoff run.
The Lady Lions Rhodes College at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. today.