Huntingdon ends Panthers season in GSAC semifinals
Feb. 27, 2009

MARYVILLE, Tenn. - LaGrange College's 2008-09 season ended Friday with an 86-59 loss to Huntingdon College in the semifinals of the GSAC Championship Tournament at Boydson Baird Gym at Maryville College. The Panthers finished the season 7-19, while the Hawks improved to 13-12.

Joe Cromwell and Caleb Smallwood paced the Panthers with 12 points each. Nic Whitfield added 10 points and four rebounds.

Huntingdon was led by GSAC Player of the Year Jeremy Pittman, who had a game-high 22 points. The Hawks shot 52.6 from the field and hit 10-of-18 3-pointers in the game. The Hawks forced 21 Panther turnovers, 15 in the first half.

The Panthers led the first seven minutes of the game. Nic Whitfield's layup gave the Panthers an early 15-9 lead. Huntingdon ran off 14 straight points to take a 23-15 lead. Joe Cromwell stopped the Hawks' run with a finger roll layup to make it 23-17.

Trailing 25-17, the Panthers reeled off eight straight points to tie the game. Three-pointers by Caleb Smallwood and Clay Wages, wrapped around a basket from Whitfield tied the game at 25 with 5:38 left in the half.

The Hawks outscored the Panthers 18-2 the rest of the way to open up a 43-27 halftime lead. Jeremy Pittman scored nine of his 15 first half points during the stretch. Smallwood's layup off an assist from Whitfield accounted for the Panthers' only basket.

Huntingdon scored the first five points of the second half to extend their lead to 48-27. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Clay Wages and J.D. Hoglund, along with a free throw from Wages cut the Hawks' lead to 54-41 with 12 minutes left. The Hawks put the game out of reach with a 14-2 run to go up 68-43.

Huntingdon advanced to the GSAC championship game against the Piedmont/Maryville winner.