Season Recap: Women's Basketball 2022-23

• The Piedmont women's basketball team delivered yet another winning season in 2022-23, with a 17-11 overall record and an 11-5 mark in the inaugural season of the Collegiate Conference of the South.
• Senior forward Nakiyah Washington closed out her Piedmont career in style, reaching the 1,000 career point mark and also becoming the program's all-time leading scorer.
• Veteran guards Ashley Scott and Colby Reed each had breakout seasons, with both earning CCS Player of the Week honors after leading the team to big conference wins. After the season, both were named CCS All-Conference players.
• After falling to LaGrange twice in the regular season, the Lions exacted revenge in the CCS Tournament Semifinals at Berea, winning a 75-73 thriller to advance to the final.
• Piedmont's quest for a conference title in the first year of the CCS fell just short, as Berea knocked off the Lady Lions 71-63 in the title game.

• Playing in their first ever Collegiate Conference of the South contest, the Lady Lions delivered a thrilling comeback win on the road at new conference foe Belhaven.
• Trailing by 14 points entering the final quarter, the Lady Lions stormed back over the final 10 minutes, taking its first lead with 11 seconds remaining.
• With the Blazers clinging to an 87-86 lead with under 20 seconds remaining, Piedmont was able to steal a Belhaven inbounds pass as NAE-NAE EADES raced to the other end of the floor. While her layup was off the mark, Stiles was there for the offensive rebound and putback, giving the Lions their first lead of the contest. Belhaven's last second prayer at the other end fell short and the comeback was complete.
• For the second time this season, ASHLEY SCOTT delivered a new career high, this time with 27 points on 4-of-8 from three-point range. Scott was joined in double figures by freshman RILEY BRYAN, who poured in 14 points in her second straight productive outing. Two-time CCS Player of the Week NAKIYAH WASHINGTON scored 13 points in just 14 minutes, adding four rebounds in the win.

Recap | Box Score

• Nakiyah Washington put an exclamation point on her outstanding career in 2022-23, etching her name in the Piedmont record books.
• She eclipsed the 1,000 career point mark in a 75-57 home win over Sewanee on November 27.
• Washington was unstoppable early on in the season, earning three CCS Player of the Week nods before the calendar turned to 2023.
• Late in the season, Washington became the program's all-time leading scorer, eclipsing the previous record held by Amari Price.
• Before postseason play, Washington earned All-CCS First Team honors, giving her all-conference marks in all four seasons of competition.
• Proving she is more than just an athlete, she was named to the CSC Academic All-District Team for the third time overall and second time as a basketball player.

• Piedmont women's basketball freshman Riley Bryan had quite the first season in the green and gold, including the opportunity to be featured on the big stage. 
• Bryan was featured by the Carolina Panthers in a video highlighting Derrick Brown, the 2022 Carolina Panthers Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. Brown was nominated based on his work in the community and giving back, including through his scholarship, the Derrick Brown Foundation Scholarship. 
• Riley Bryan was a recipient of the Derrick Brown Foundation Scholarship which helped afford her the opportunity to pursue her dreams. She was contacted about the opportunity to be involved in a promotional video for Derrick and jumped at the opportunity.

• After earning the No. 3 seed in the inaugural CCS Tournament, the Lady Lions would have to avenge a pair of regular season losses
  • The quarterfinals came first and a hungry opponent in the Huntingdon Hawks, who had defeated Piedmont in overtime at Cave Arena in the regular season.
  • This time, Piedmont left no doubt, racing past the Hawks by a score of 97-71.
  •  It was a balanced team effort in the 97-point outburst for Piedmont, as 10 different Lady Lions found the scoring column. ASHLEY SCOTT led the squad with 19 points, connecting on three three-pointers, all of which came in the first half.
• This led the Lady Lions to a semifinal showdown with LaGrange, which had defeated them twice in the regular season.
  • In a back-and-forth game where neither side was able to pull away, the Lady Lions grabbed a late six-point lead and held on in the final seconds to defeat the Panthers and move to one win away from a conference title.
  • The scoring attack was balanced for Piedmont, as DESTINY DEETZ led the team with 13 points while COLBY REED added 12 off the bench and freshman RILEY BRYAN was sensational, scoring 11 points and grabbing nine rebounds on 5-of-7 shooting. Senior NAKIYAH WASHINGTON was the fourth and final Lady Lion to reach double figures as she scored nine of her 11 points from the free throw line, including two big free throws late to help seal the deal.

Huntingdon Recap | LaGrange Recap