Demorest, Ga. – The Piedmont Lady Lions basketball team came back from a 16 point deficit to close the gap to two with under 30 seconds left, but it wasn’t good enough to come out with a win.

Destiny Combs for Berea College had an offensive putback layup with under two seconds to play as the Lady Lions fell 64-62 at Cave Area Saturday afternoon. 

The Mountaineers came into Cave Area with a mission to win. They led the entire contest until freshman Nae Nae Eades attempted her fourth only three-pointer all season and swished it through the net to tie up the contest with 30 seconds left in the game. However, Combs was in the right place at the right time, as an offensive rebound landed directly in her hands to convert on a putback layup to lift the Mountaineers back on top. 

Klaire Varney led the Lady Lions with 13 points and six rebounds. Livia Skinner added 11 points of her own as Hope Franklin added eight points and had 13 rebounds. 

Berea lost tip position but were able to put a 9-2 lead together early on in the first quarter. The Mountaineers led by 10 points late in the period to take a 23-14 lead going into the second quarter. 

The second story was the same story with Berea continuing their hot streak. Piedmont was able to cut the deficit to six before Berea was able to go on another 8-0 rally, but the Lions were able to cut it down to 35-28 heading into the half. 2019-20 USA South Player of the Year Aaliyah Hampton gave the Lady Lions trouble from the get-go having 13 points just in the first half.

At the beginning of the third, Berea scored the first eight points of the quarter building a 43-28 lead. However, Piedmont was able to go on a run of their own, closing the quarter on a 19-11 run, only trailing by seven at the conclusion of the quarter. 

The Lady Lions hung by a thread all game long fighting back in the fourth, but it was not good enough. Eades drained her only shot attempt, a three-pointer with 26 seconds left on the clock before Berea had a putback shot to win the contest. 

The Lady Lions next game will be to Clinton, South Carolina for an exhibition game against Presbyterian next Wednesday, Dec. 15.