It was the final game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament. LaGrange went 2-0 in the tournament, while Apprentice was 0-2.
The two teams battled on even terms the first 12 minutes of the game. Trailing 19-18, the Panthers went ahead to stay on a basket by Michael Patterson with 7:36 left in the half.
The Panthers continued to build on their lead. Robby Lawrence was fouled and a technical was called on Apprentice coach Bill Tose. Lawrence made 3-of-4 free throws to push the Panthers' lead to 40-24 with a minute remaining in the half. They took a 40-28 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Apprentice opened the second half with a three-pointer from Michael Dunston to make it 40-31. The Panthers responded with an 11-3 run to open up a 51-34 lead. Antoine Maddox started the run with a slam dunk off an assist from Patterson.
The Builders came right back. They went on a 15-2 run to get back in the game. Dunston hit another three to cut the Panthers lead to four, 53-49, with 12:54 left in the game.
It would be as close as the Builders would get. The Panthers answered with some long range shooting of their own. Maddox hit the last of four three's in a two-minute surge to push the Panthers' lead back to 12, 65-53.
Apprentice would get no closer than 12 the rest of the way. Kevin Kelly's three-pointer in the closing seconds, gave the Panthers their biggest lead, 88-68.
Lawrence led the Panthers with 15 points. Maddox added 12 points, Patterson 11 and Leon Williams 10. Curtis Pender had a game-high 19 points for the Builders. Apprentice had only eight players and the Panther reserves outscored their counterparts 40-2.
The Panthers shot a season-best 53 percent from the floor. They held the Builders to 39 percent shooting from the floor.
LaGrange will host Embry-Riddle University on Monday, Dec. 6 at 5 p.m.
12/4/04 4 p.m. at Mariotti Gymnasium, LaGrange, Ga. At Mariotti Gymnasium, LaGrange, Ga. LAGRANGE COLLEGE 88, APPRENTICE SCHOOL 71 APPRENTICE SCHOOL (1-5) Curtis Pender 5-13 9-10 19; Nathan Robinson 8-18 0-4 17; Charles Holiday 4-16 4-4 13; Michael Dunston 4-11 0-0 11; Terrance Bryant 4-8 1-2 9; Donnell Gilchrist 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 26-67 14-20 71. LAGRANGE COLLEGE (4-2) Lawrence, Robby 5-5 3-4 15; Maddox, Antoine 5-8 1-2 12; Patterson, Michael 5-7 1-4 11; Williams, Leon 3-6 3-4 10; Jackson, Corie 3-6 0-0 8; Darracott, Brian 3-6 2-2 8; Lefebvre, Kyle 1-5 5-6 7; Fleming, Scott 2-3 0-0 5; Herriott, Evert 2-4 0-2 4; Kelly, Kevin 1-1 0-0 3; Podbielski, Ben 1-3 1-2 3; Hodges, Justin 0-3 2-2 2; Baize, Landon 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 31-58 18-28 88. Apprentice School............. 28 43 - 71 LaGrange College.............. 40 48 - 88 3-point goals-Apprentice School 5-17 (Michael Dunston 3-10; Charles Holiday 1-5; Nathan Robinson 1-2), LaGrange College 8-18 (Lawrence, Robby 2-2; Jackson, Corie 2-4; Kelly, Kevin 1-1; Fleming, Scott 1-1; Maddox, Antoine 1-4; Williams, Leon 1-3; Hodges, Justin 0-1; Baize, Landon 0-1; Darracott, Brian 0-1). Fouled out--Apprentice School-Terrance Bryant, LaGrange College-None. Rebounds-Apprentice School 38 (Nathan Robinson 14), LaGrange College 30 (Patterson, Michael 7). Assists-Apprentice School 6 (Charles Holiday 3), LaGrange College 18 (Jackson, Corie 5). Total fouls-Apprentice School 20, LaGrange College 15. A-200 Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament