Box Score
Box Score | Thursday Broadcast | Live Stats
Lake Wales, Fla. – After suffering their first non-conference loss a week ago, the #19 ranked Panthers picked up a big 74-71 win over #17 Grace College (Ind.) in the semifinals of the Warner University Holiday Tournament in Lake Wales, FL on Wednesday night. Davenport, 13-3 overall, will now face Roberts Wesleyan on Thursday at 5:00pm.
Nathan Cox (Flushing, Mich.) scored a game high 19 points and finished with 8 of those in the final two minutes to help Davenport secure its thirteenth win of the season. The Panthers also got 12 points from James Humphrey (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and 10 from Kale Waaso (South Haven, Mich.).
The top 20 showdown lived up to the billing in the semifinals of the Warner Holiday Tournament as Davenport maintained their three-point halftime lead to post the win. The lead changed hands only once in the opening half as DU trailed early 10-8. The Panthers then went on a 14-6 run to open a 6-point margin when Nathan Cox (Flushing, Mich.) converted a three-point play with 10:44 to play in the first half.
The lead grew to as many as seven with 4:45 to play on a layup from JaVontae Ford (Grand Rapids, Mich.) but the Lancers would get the margin to within three at halftime (35-32). Grace converted on eight second chance points while Davenport posted a 6-0 advantage on the fast-break.
The 17th ranked Lancers came out of the locker room on fire and quickly erased the lead and held a two point margin of their own at 38-36. Their lead grew to as many as seven (56-49) with 8:36 to play but Davenport finally started to heat up and used a 13-0 to regain the lead that they would never relinquish.
Finishing the run were three consecutive long balls from Kale Waaso (South Haven, Mich.) and JaVontae Ford (Grand Rapids, Mich.). After the Lancers rallied to tie the game at 66 with 1:58 remaining, senior Nathan Cox stood tall to push the Panthers over the top. Cox scored eight of his game high 19 points in the final two minutes including a huge offensive rebound and putback with 26 seconds on the clock. Cox then nailed four free-throws in the final 13 seconds to preserve the victory.
The Panthers finished the game getting out-rebounded 33-28, but that margin was largely due to the fact that the Lancers shot a blistering 53% from the field and 50% from behind the arc. Davenport forced Grace into 16 turnovers (13 via a DU steal) and shot 49% from the floor themselves.
#19 Davenport will play for the Warner Holiday Tournament Championship on Thursday against Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) at 5:00pm. The Raiders posted a 68-64 win over host Warner University.
