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Piedmont University Athletics

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Josh Haymore

Men's Basketball

Buzzer Beater Ends Men's Basketball Season

Contact: Richard Dombrowsky, Sports Information Director

Josh Haymore scored a game-high 25 points in the Lions' heart-breaking GSAC semi-final loss tonight as LaGrange College connected on a buzzer beater to down PC 69-67.
Box Score | Photo Gallery

Decatur, GA --
LaGrange College's shot at the buzzer snapped a 67-67 tie and gave the third-seeded Panthers a dramatic win over second-seeded Piedmont College tonight in the semifinals of the Great South Athletic Conference Championship at Agnes Scott College. The heart-breaking loss ends the Lions' season with a 15-11 overall record marking the program's most single-season victories in the NCAA Division III era.

LaGrange shot 45.9 percent from the floor (28-of-61) for the game while the Lions connected at a 47.8 percent clip (22-of-46). Piedmont recorded seven three three-point field goals to LaGrange's five and converted eight more free throws, but the difference was LaGrange hold a 36-24 advantage in rebounding, including 20-8 on the offensive end that led to 26 second-chance points.

With sophomore guard Josh Haymore racking up 21 points, Piedmont enjoyed a 36-29 lead at halftime. The sophomore drained seven-of-nine from the floor, including five-of-six from beyond the arc , as the Lions hit 48 percent of their field goal attempts. Piedmont sped out to a 21-9 lead following a basket by #J.C. Herebia# with 9:35 left in the stanza. However, LaGrange rattled off 10 straight points to knot the affair at 21-21 with 6:08 remaining. Piedmont closed out the final 3:58 of the stanza on a 11-5 run, with five points coming from Haymore, to take the seven-point edge into the locker room.

The Lions still held a seven-point cushion with 11:22 remaining in the contest before a put-back by LaGrange off a missed foul shot tied the battle at 55-55 with 6:40 on the clock.

Baskets by Herebia and fellow senior Samuel Coppage, followed by a pair of free throws by Michael Rubio, pushed Piedmont ahead by a 61-55 margin. But LC rallied to put the game in another deadlock, 61-61, with 3:28 left. After a PC timeout, a trey by Coppage from the wing gave the Lions a 64-61 edge but LaGrange again answered with a baseline jumper that cut the gap to one point.

Coppage countered with a pair of free throws with 2:26 left that increased Piedmont's lead to three points, but the Panthers surged ahead by a point following a put-back and a layup. After Rubio made one of two free throws with 1:03 remaining the game was tied at 67-67. Piedmont had a chance to win the game but its attempt missed and LaGrange grabbed the rebound and called timeout with four seconds left setting the stage for the exciting finish.

Haymore led all players with 25 points, ending the evening hitting nine-of-16 from the field and five-of-eight from distance. Coppage rounded out Piedmont's double-digit scorers with 13 points.
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