A second-half comeback by the Cerritos women’s basketball team wasn’t enough, as Orange Coast College guard Liz Mendoza sank a three-point basket with three seconds remaining to give the Pirates a 54-53 win over the Falcons Wednesday in Costa Mesa.

The Falcons (11-4) turned the ball over several times and shot 9-for-24 from the field in the first half to trail, 30-22, at the break.

After a three-point basket by Lindsey Galasso and a two-pointer by Lauren Murray, Orange Coast moved out to a 48-39 lead with 7:48 remaining in the game.

But Cerritos clamped down on defense and would not allow another field goal for the next seven minutes and 45 seconds.

The Pirates could not score on their next five trips down the floor, twice letting the shot clock run out.

The Falcons cut the Pirates’ lead to one on a basket by Jennifer Decuir, but Decuir was called for fouling Galasso, who was attempting a three-point shot.

Galasso made two of the three free throws, and Orange Coast had a 51-48 lead.

Eterei Wong scored on the other end for Cerritos and was fouled by Orange Coast’s Ashley Nelson.

Wong made the free throw to complete the three-point play and tie the game.

The Falcons took their first lead in the game, 52-51, with 39 seconds left when forward Chrystal Johnson made a free throw, and increased the lead to two on a free throw by Marci Wong.

After an Orange Coast time out, Mendoza was open on the left side and did what the Pirates were unable to do Sunday against Cerritos in the championship game of its tournament, which was make a three-point basket in the closing seconds.

Falcons’ coach Karen Welliver said the team was throwing the ball away and missing shots in the first half, but made a “real nice comeback” in the second half, and “fought real hard and got the lead,” and that the second-half comeback showed how tough the players are as they got through adversity.

She added that “Orange Coast gets credit, they got the shot.”