By Joshua J. Darling, Sports Information Director
Senior Day Program I Senior Day Script
LAGRANGE, Ga. – A nip-and-tuck affair all game long would see a late three off a turnover turn the tide as LaGrange (15-9, 7-4 CCS) dropped a heartbreaking 71-70 decision to Belhaven (12-9, 7-4 CCS) in an NCAA Division III men's basketball game on Saturday, February 11.
Senior guard Bershard Edwards (Lehigh Acres, Fla.) dropped 23 points to go with six assists and five rebounds to lead the Panthers while senior forward Zac Hill (Senoia, Ga.) registered 17 points, six boards and a pair of assists. Sophomore forward Kyle Smith (Titusville, Fla.) added 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists and junior guard Gabe Cofield (LaGrange, Ga.) finished with nine points, six steals, three caroms and a pair of assists.
LaGrange would waste no time jumping out to a 9-4 lead over the first four minutes and would push to a 13-7 advantage by the 13:58 mark. It would continue to be a game of runs, however, as the Blazers responded with an 18-8 stretch to flip the script and pull ahead 25-21 with 7:28 on the clock.
From there the teams would be neck and neck as they battled through three lead changes and five ties, the last two coming on an exchange of three-pointers by Edwards and Matthew McMillan to head to the half at 40-40.
Coming out of the break the teams would be separated by no more than four points over the first 8:49, a stretch that would see three ties and four lead changes. A steal and fastbreak dunk by Damien Wheaton gave BU a one-point lead and a triple by Jordan Marshall made it 60-56 by the 11:11 mark.
The Blazers would edge their lead to 62-57 just over a minute later and it would stay that way for the next two and a half minutes. Cofield would cut it to two with a long ball at that point and 1:44 later Edwards knotted it up with a jumper at 5:48. Hill then followed with three buckets over the next 3:12 to stake the Panthers to a 68-62 lead.
A layup and pair of three throws by Jordan Judah and a Luke Couch jumper fueled a 6-2 run that narrowed the gap to 70-68 with 15 seconds to play. LaGrange would then take possession with the Blazers intent on fouling only to turn the ball over with 11 seconds to play.
That turn of events would spell disaster as Marshall and Belhaven capitalized with a go-ahead three-pointer a second later. The Panthers would have a chance as they got the ball all the way under the basket only to see the potential game-winning layup go awry with two seconds to play, sealing the improbable 71-70 BU victory.
Jordan led the Blazers with 20 points along with seven boards, three assists and four steals while Couch wasn't far behind with 19 points, five caroms and a pair of assists. Marshall added 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks and McMillan closed out the top performances with nine points.
LaGrange closes out the regular season as they head to Covenant on Wednesday, February 15. Tip-off is set for approximately 7 p.m. in Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
NOTES
Prior to the game Edwards and Hill were recognized as part of Senior Day festivities, celebrating their contributions over their five and four years, respectively.
