LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. - LaGrange's season ended with an 81-77 double overtime loss to Averett in the USA South Tournament semifinals Friday at Covenant College.
Seniors Kyle Brown and Bershard Edwards both played the entire 50 minutes and combined for 48 points in their final LC game. Edwards led all scorers with a career-high 27 points. Brown had his ninth double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
"What a great game and great season. Every team in the country except one will feel like we do right now at some point," Coach Kendal Wallace said. "I'm so proud of my team. They battled the toughest teams in the South throughout the season from Division I to Division III.
"It's tough to see Kyle and Bershard go out like this. I pray I continue to have the opportunity to coach guys like them with their work ethic. I'm very proud and excited to hang a banner being the 2022 USA South West Division Regular Season Champions."
Averett (16-11) dominated the rebounding, 58-34, including a 26-8 advantage on the offensive boards. The Panthers forced 22 turnovers in the game. Neither team shot well from 3-point range. Averett was just 4-of-19 from beyond the arc, while the Panthers were 4-for-14.
"We put ourselves in a great situation to be able to play this semifinal game but unfortunately we took too many things for granted," said Wallace. "We struggled early offensively and defensively. We allowed our opponent to come out with more energy and aggression in the first half. We were not mentally there most of the night.
"We didn't sit down and guard like normal and we gave up way too many offensive rebounds simply because we didn't focus on blocking out. When you give up 26 offensive rebounds, you are not going to beat many teams. We tip our cap to Averett. There is a reason they were the number one seed. They are a great team and have a great coach in Coach Doino."
Averett led by as many as 13 in the first half and took a 37-28 lead into the break. The Panthers opened the second half with a 13-0 run over a five-minute span to take the lead. Gabe Cofield's two free throws gave the Panthers their largest lead, 53-45, with 7:35 left in regulation.
The Cougars surged back to take a 63-58 lead with 3:12 lead, the points coming on a trey by Cory Baldwin, who had a double-double of 21 points and 16 rebounds in the game. Brown made the second of two free throws to tie the game at 65 with 19 seconds left. The Cougars missed a shot in the final second as the game went to overtime.
Averett got two quick buckets in the first overtime to go up 69-65. Edwards tied the game at 69 with a jumper and two free throws. The Panthers trailed 73-71 after Baldwin's free throw with 17 seconds left. Edwards sent the game to a second overtime with a jumper with four seconds left.
In the second overtime, Edwards and Brown scored to give LC a 77-73 lead with three minutes left. But Averett held the Panthers scoreless from there, scoring the final eight points to secure the win.
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