The Piedmont High School boys basketball team hit a lull in its schedule with a 5-5 record. The Highlanders won the consolation bracket at the Chris Huber Classic at Acalanes with a 58-49 win over St. Joseph-Notre Dame on Dec. 9. They then fell to University-San Francisco, 93-61 on Dec. 12.
Piedmont will host Novato on Dec. 22, then will be off until the new year. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Highlanders began a busy eight days before Christmas with a 64-54 loss at Campolindo on Dec. 5. The Cougars got 19 points from Dylan Mansour and 11 apiece from Ren Marchetti and Gavin Rendle. Piedmont did not provide statistics.
The Highlanders opened the Acalanes tournament on Dec. 7 with a 52-48 loss to Monte Vista. The Mustangs led 24-21 at halftime and opened that up to 40-32 before the Highlanders closed back to 42-40 early in the fourth quarter but Monte Vista never trailed. Dillon Casey hit a 3-pointer for Piedmont late to cut the lead to 52-48 and that was the final score. Casey finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
The next night, the Highlanders defeated De Anza, 62-37. Casey had 13 points and 16 rebounds for Piedmont. Brit Burden had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Ahmari Otis had 22 points for De Anza.
Against St. Joseph-Notre Dame, the Highlanders used a 12-0 run to go up 36-17. The Pilots cut the deficit, but Piedmont still led 45-40 entering the fourth quarter and never trailed the rest of the way.
University, always one of the top teams in the Bay Area, slowly built a big lead throughout the first half, going up 22-13 after one quarter and 49-24 at the half. Piedmont was able to play the Red Devils even in the fourth quarter, 20-20, but it was too little, too late.