Panthers Fall Tigers

Orangeburg, SC- The Panthers’ late rally not enough, as Claflin University fell to the Tigers of the University of West Alabama 58-56, in the Jonas T. Kennedy Center.

Stan Gill was the big offensive punch for the Tigers as he led all scorers with 22 points.

The Panthers were led by Jerome Starr with 17 points, and Ernest Sinkfield had 12 points.

The game was nip and tuck as neither team could manage to obtain a comfortable margin. The Panthers enjoyed the largest lead of the contest in the early going, leading by 8 points at the 15:43 mark 10-2. The Tigers regrouped after a time out and led at the break by a single point 28-27.

The second half was just as tight as neither team would forge ahead by more than 5 points. The Tigers held that lead 50-55 with 2:33 remaining, setting up an exciting finish. Claflin’s Karl Ray put in a follow up shot off a Jerome Starr miss to cut the Tiger lead to 3 points 55-52, with 2:05 left. Stan Gill answered with a basket to put the Tigers back up by 5 points, 57-52.  Jerome Starr made another basket with 1:43 to cut the lead back to 3 points 57-54. Karl Ray added another stick back with under 1:00 minute to play to make the score 57-56, Tigers. Following a Tiger timeout Russell Stewart fouled Jenerio Bunton. He would make just one of two free throws for a 58-56 score with 3.6 left. The three point jumper by Starr fell short, as the home faithful thought Starr was fouled in front of the Panther bench, as the game ended. 

The Panthers next game will be on Saturday, as they host Lane College at 8:00 p.m.