GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – After a slow start, Davenport used a strong finish to the first half to control the rest of the game. The Panthers beat Calumet College of St. Joseph 84-64 to advance to the Championship game of the Panther Invitational. Davenport will face the winner of the Huntington/Indiana-University East game on Saturday at 3:00 pm.

Davenport converted only one of their first five shots, a three by Gabe VanderJagt (Rockford, Mich.), that allowed Calumet College to get out to a 7-3 lead four minutes into the game. Davenport responded quickly with a 6-0 run to give them the 11-7 lead.

Calumet would come back to take a 12-11 lead. The Panthers would score on each of their next several possession but Calumet hit three of their seven first half three's during that stretch to stay within striking distance at 24-21.

Davenport then went on a 12-2 run highlighted with a dunk by DeArmond Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) to give the Panthers a 36-23 lead.

The Panthers opened the game up even further with back to back threes by JaVontae Ford (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and VanderJagt that gave Davenport a 48-33 lead going into the half.

Davenport dominated most statistical categories in the first half winning points in the paint (+20), points off turnover (+8), second chance points (+8), and points from the bench (+20). Calumet scored twenty-one of their thirty-three points from beyond the arc.

To start the second half neither team could take control with the closest Calumet getting to Davenport was eleven points at the sixteen minute mark.

After the lead extended to sixteen with thirteen minutes left in the second half Calumet went on a 7-0 run to close within nine, 59-50, with 10:20 left in the game.

That's when James Nelson (New Haven, Mich.) took over for the Panthers. Nelson made three straight lay-ups to bring Davenport's lead back up to thirteen. He then hit two consecutive three pointers to give the Panthers a 71-55 lead with just under six minutes to go in the second half.

Davenport closed out the game with back to back dunks by James Humphrey (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Ford to preserve the 84-64 win.

Nelson led the Panthers in scoring with 24 points and also grabbed 5 rebounds. Nathan Cox (Flushing, Mich.) (12), Ford (11), Humphrey (10), and VanderJagt (10) also scored in double-digits for Davenport. Zach Yeagy (Alexandria, Ind.) had 8 assists to lead the Panthers.

With the victory the Panthers advance to the Championship game of the Panther Invite. They will play the winner of the Huntington/IU-East game on Saturday at 3:00 pm. Huntington (6-0) is one of the best three point shooting teams in Division 2 averaging 11.5 threes per game. Kellen Zawadzki (Huntington) leads all of Division 2 in total three point field goals made with 29. IU-East (7-0) features one of the best offenses in Division 2 leading in total assists (128) and they are third in scoring offense per game (100 points/game). David Sanders (IU-East) leads Division 2 in total steals (22) and ranks fifth in total assists (38).