<p>Piedmont Classical went 3-1 in their debut appearance in the 2019 Governor's Challenge, facing a loss against Bishop McNamara (MD), a foe out of the nationally-known WCAC in Washington D.C.. </p>
<h3>Game Recaps</h3>
<p>In their opening game against San Felipe, unsigned senior <strong>Jalen Joiner </strong>led the way with 15 points on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting on the night. Behind him, there was 2021 guard <strong>Jamarii Thomas</strong>, who posted 12 points, six assists and three steals as well. What makes this group special is that on any given game, anybody can lead them on offense in scoring. When they share the ball and let things flow, the result typically is a victory, which was the case in Game 1 as they defeated San Felipe (PR) 64-55. </p>
<p>A sluggish start doomed things from the very beginning as Bishop McNamara led 9-7 after one quarter. Things picked up in the second and at halftime, things were all tied up at 25. In the second half, it wasn't until the fourth quarter that Bishop McNamara pulled away, outscoring the Bobcats 18-10 in the final frame. In the end, Piedmont Classical fell 58-49. Thomas was the only player to score in double-figures, finishing with 17 points. North Carolina A&T commit <strong>Evan Joyner </strong>did manage to snag 10 rebounds. As a team, the Bobcats finished with seven assists. </p>
<p>In their third game of the 2019 Governor's Challenge, the Bobcats got off to a much better start, jumping out to a 26-20 lead on Monsignor Scanlan (NY). They played together a lot more in this one and it showed in the end result. Four different players finished scoring in double-figures with Joyner (15 points) scoring the game-winning basket as time expired in the contest. Thomas finished with 17 points, Joiner had 16 points and 2022 forward <strong>Amare Miller </strong>finished with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting. As a team, the Bobcats finished with 14 assists in the victory. Joyner led the way with five assists and seven rebounds.</p>
<p>In their final game of the 2019 Governor's Challenge, Piedmont Classical faced off against the Virginia Academy Patriots. Piedmont Classical won handily 74-57 thanks to a 25-10 scoring run in the third quarter that created some distance. The game was another victory under the Bobcats' belt as Thomas and Jalen Joiner led the way with 15 points apiece in a game that saw 10 players score a field goal in the final contest of the event.</p>
<h3>Prospect Outlook</h3>
<h5>Evan Joyner - Forward</h5>
<p>Evan Joyner's stats don't exactly jump off the page at you, but Joyner's ability to run the floor, finish above the room and impact the defensive end continue to impress. He'll be fun to watch at North Carolina A&T next year with his ability to handle the ball, make plays and play in the post. His versatility stood out in the 2019 Governor's Challenge.</p>
<h5>Jamarii Thomas - Guard</h5>
<p>Thomas showed off his combo guard skills by sharing the ball and getting to the rim when needed at the Bobcats debut appearance. He's an explosive guard that continues to grow in the decision-making department. As he learns to become a better leader, look for him to make those around him better by leading by example on both ends.</p>
<h5>Jalen Joiner - Wing</h5>
<p>2020 wing Jalen Joiner was another solid performer for the Bobcats at the 2019 Governor's Challenge. He scored in double-figures in three of their four games at the challenge while shooting 54.5 percent from the field across all four contests. Joiner finished the weekend averaging 11.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game on an efficient shooting weekend. He holds offers from Mars Hill and Lees-McRae still.</p>
<h5>Trent McIntyre - Wing</h5>
<p>2020 wing prospect <strong>Trent McIntyre </strong>had an interesting outing at the 2019 Governor's Challenge. He was hampered by an ankle injury in the final two games for the Bobcats, so that will be something to keep an eye on. His best performance of the challenge came against Bishop McNamara, where he had nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field. </p>
<h5>Qualeem Poindexter - Guard</h5>
<p>2020 guard <strong>Qualeem Poindexter</strong> played his role well off the bench as Piedmont Classical's instant offense. He score at least five points in all four of their appearances this weekend and made at least one 3-pointer as well. He understands his role well when he's in the game and exudes confidence.</p>
<h5>Amare Miller - Forward</h5>
<p>Amare Miller is still finding his way in the Piedmont Classical rotation and had a few interesting outings at the 2019 Governor's Challenge. He played no more than 15 minutes on average across his four appearances while getting a feel for scoring around the rim with efficiency. He shot 16-of-20 from the floor across their four games. He'll also need to rebound on both ends a bit more to expand on his role. He averaged 3.8 rebounds in the Governor's Challenge.</p>
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