DEMOREST, Ga. – The Piedmont women’s basketball team won its third straight game, overtaking Belhaven with an 83-67 win on Saturday at Cave Arena.
Trailing by one at the break, the Lions used a dominant third quarter to take control and continued to pull away in the fourth for their second straight double-digit conference victory.
Senior forward Destiny Deetz delivered a career-high 16 points and a season-best 11 rebounds, marking her first career double-double as a Lion. The Tiger, Georgia native came off the bench and delivered key production in just 26 minutes of action.
Career-high 16 points AND her first career double-double!!
Two-sport standout Destiny Deetz with a big-time performance off the bench 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/i2uPz5Cbos
— Piedmont WBB (@PiedmontWBB) January 13, 2024
Fellow seniors Ashley Scott and Laken Stiles pitched in big-time performances as well, with Scott scoring a season-high 20 points on 5-of-11 from beyond the arc, while Stiles nearly pulled off a triple-double, with 15 points, seven rebounds and a team-high six assists.
The first half was back-and-forth the entire way, with the biggest lead by either side a five-point edge by Belhaven, which it held briefly midway through the opening quarter. The lead changed numerous times, including three times in the final minute of the first half.
However, Piedmont began to take control in the third quarter, making 13-of-15 free throws thanks to an attacking style off the dribble. The Lions reeled off a 9-0 run to go from a 42-42 tie to lead 51-42 at the 3:19 mark of the third quarter. The Blazers were able to briefly cut their deficit to five, but the Lions took their first double-digit lead of the game as Deetz knocked down back-to-back free throws with five seconds left in the third.
With all the momentum on their side, the Lions connected on jumpers from Stiles and Scott to open the fourth and give Piedmont a 67-52 advantage. That proved too much to overcome for Belhaven, which was unable to give Piedmont a scare down the stretch.
Up next, the Lions will remain at home, hosting CCS foe Covenant at Cave Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 5 p.m.
TURNING POINT:
– The Lions outscored the Blazers 46-29 in a dominant second-half performance.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
– Deetz delivered a career-high in points (16) and tacked on her first career double-double thanks to 11 rebounds.
– Scott totaled season highs in points (20) and three-pointers (five) in the win.
– Stiles did it all, filling up the stat sheet with 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
– The Lions were a rock solid 21-of-25 (84%) from the free throw line.
