DEMOREST, Ga. - LaGrange staged a comeback for the ages to beat Piedmont 74-71 in a USA South game Thursday night in the Cave Arena. The improbable win improved the Panthers' record to 3-1 in the conference and 8-9 overall.
LC trailed the Lions (7-9, 2-2 USA South) 62-40 with just over five minutes left in the game. Bershard Edwards overcame a poor shooting night to fuel the comeback. The senior guard scored the Panthers final 11 points in regulation to force overtime, finishing the game with 15 points.
Kyle Brown tied Edwards with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Brown had 12 of his points and seven of the rebounds in the second half and overtime. Gabe Cofield had 12 points, all coming on 3-pointers. Zac Hill added 10 points and six rebounds.
Coach Kendal Wallace
"Well once again we came out flat and not ready to play. Our immaturity showed early and often. We gave up too many shot opportunities early in the game and just played dumb basketball. No idea what lit a fire in them but it was a great comeback and great team win. We are very happy to go 1-0 today."
The Game
Piedmont led 34-24 at halftime. The Lions opened the second half with a 10-2 run in a two-minute span to open up a 16-point lead. Wallace called a time out and benched all five of his starters.
Brown returned to the game with 14 minutes left and Edwards returned two minutes later. But Piedmont still led 62-40 after Aaron Palmer made the second of two free throws with 5:39 showing on the clock. The Panthers began to chip away at the deficit by forcing turnover after turnover by the Lions.
On two straight possessions, Cofield drained 3-pointers off assists from Edwards. Cofield's second trey made it a nine-point game, 64-55, with two minutes left.
Edwards began his scoring spree with a two free throws to get the Panthers within seven, 64-57, with 1:44 to go. He then drew an offensive foul at the defensive end and followed with a 3-pointer of his own at the other end. Edwards had missed his first seven 3-point tries up to that point but caught fire at the right time.
It became a one-point game as Edwards hit another trey with 38 seconds left. Justin Quick's two free throws put the Lions up 66-63. The Panthers had 26 seconds left to tie the game. Brown took a step toward the lane and then kicked the ball out to Edwards, who drained his third straight 3 to tie the game at 66 with six seconds left on the clock, forcing the game into overtime.
Brown opened the overtime with a jumper in the lane to give the Panthers their first lead of the game. Camerin Lyons followed with a baseline jumper to make it 70-66. Brown drove the right side of the lane for a layup and a 72-66 lead with 1:37 left in the extra period.
Piedmont mounted a quick comeback to cut LC's lead to one. Noah Reardon hit a 3-pointer and Andrew Stimpson scored off a turnover to make it 72-71 with 22 seconds left. Lyons made two free throws six seconds later to give the Panthers a 74-71 lead. Evan Easton's desperation 3-point attempt at the buzzer missed as the Panthers celebrated their stunning win.
The Panthers host USA South foes Berea and Brevard in Mariotti Gym on Saturday and Sunday.
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