Anthony Bennett

Second-Half Comeback Falls Short as LaGrange Tops Hood, 76-73

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va.--The Hood College men's basketball team (3-6) trimmed a 20-point second-half deficit to two but could not overtake the LaGrange College Panthers (3-9), falling 76-73 Tuesday afternoon in the consolation game of the Car Coop/Weenie Miller Memorial Holiday Hoops Tournament hosted by Hampden-Sydney College.

LaGrange shot 53.6 percent in the first half and led by as many as 19 points. A three-pointer by Clay Wages in the closing seconds gave the Panthers a 43-25 lead at the break.

Trailing 55-38, the Blazers went on a 16-1 run over a 3:22 span to close to within two, 56-54, with 8:16 remaining in regulation. But the Panthers countered with a 10-2 spurt to push the lead back up to nine with 5:31 to play. A conventional three-point play by Tim Abercrombie made it a two-point game once again with 3:35 to go.

The Blazers however were unable to net the go-ahead basket down the stretch. A J'Air Brady layup with 28 seconds to play made it 75-73 LaGrange and the Blazers called a 30-second timeout to set the defense. Caleb Smallwood turned it over on LaGrange's next possession, giving Hood a chance at a game-tying or game-winning shot.

A three-pointer by Garrett Williams with 15 ticks left was off the mark, and LaGrange's Blake Craft came down with the rebound. Hood fouled Craft immediately, sending the 75 percent free-throw shooter to the line for two shots. Craft missed the first but made the second, leaving the door open once again, but the Blazers were unable to get a shot off in the closing seconds as the Panthers escaped with the victory. 

Abercrombie fouled out with a career-high 27 points on 8-of-17 from the field and 9-of-11 from the foul line. Brady, who was named to the all-tournament team, finished a point shy of matching his career-high with 23 points while Williams chipped in with nine points off the bench.

Nic Whitfield had 23 points for the Panthers, who ended a nine-game losing skid with the victory.

Hood travels to Bethlehem, Pa., Saturday and Sunday for the Moravian College Tournament. The Blazers take on Muhlenberg College at 6 p.m. Saturday in the opening round.