Panthers' season ends with loss to Piedmont in GSAC semifinals
Feb. 29, 2008

DEMOREST, Ga. - Second-seeded Piedmont College came back for a 75-74 win over third-seeded LaGrange College in the semifinals of the GSAC Championship Tournament on Friday at the Johnny Mize Athletic Center. The loss ended the season for the Panthers (6-19), while the Lions (14-12) advance to the championship game Saturday against top-seeded Maryville.

Senior Demetris Render had a game-leading double-double in his final game for the Panthers. He had 29 points and 11 rebounds. Render was 10-for-16 from the floor and a perfect 8-for-8 at the free throw line. Joe Cromwell was the only other Panther in double figures. Cromwell came off the bench to score 20 points.

Piedmont had five players in double figures. Michael Rubio led the Lions with 21 points. Jake Baldwin, the NCAA Division III's leading scorer, was held to a season-low 13 points.

LaGrange led by as many as 10 twice in the second half. Render hit two free throws with 12:11 left in the game for a 57-47 lead. He scored off a missed shot for a 63-53 lead with 9:47 left.

Piedmont chipped away at the Panthers' lead. Jake Green's two free throws gave the Lions a 68-67 lead with 5:34 remaining. Rubio followed with a 3-pointer for a 71-67 lead.

Cromwell scored six of LaGrange's final seven points. He hit a pair of free throws and scored off a layup to tie the game at 71 with 2:18 left on the clock. Caleb Smallwood made one of two free throws to put the Panthers up 72-71.

Samuel Coppage put Piedmont ahead to stay, 73-72, with two free throws with 1:18 left. Baldwin scored off a layup for a 75-72 lead. Cromwell was fouled by Baldwin as he hit a jumper to get the Panthers within one, 75-74. Cromwell missed the tying free throw but Render got the offensive rebound to give the Panthers a final shot. Caleb Smallwood's jumper was off the mark and Baldwin pulled down the rebound to secure the win for Piedmont.

Piedmont had led by 10 points in the first half. Branden Mayweather's layup put the Lions up 25-15 with nine minutes left in the half. The Panthers answered with a 12-0 run to take the lead. Render and Cromwell did all the scoring in the run. Render finished the run with a layup for a 27-25 lead.

The lead changed three times before the half. Deji Adako made the second of two free throws to tie the game at 36. Rubio's jumper put the Lions up at halftime 38-36.

The Panthers shot 56.7 percent from the floor in the second half. They cooled off in the second half to finish at 49.1 percent for the game. The Panthers hit 18-of-21 free throws in the game. Piedmont made 14-of-16 free throws in the game and shot 47.4 percent from the floor.

In addition to Render, Landon Baize and Roger McDowell had their final games for the Panthers. Baize had a team-high four assists, while McDowell had six points.