Huntingdon knocks off Berry for second straight win

By Chuck Tidmore

Sports Information Assistant

ROME, Ga. – Freshman Brandon McLean and junior Andre Ashley each scored in the final 61 seconds to lift the Huntingdon men's basketball team over Berry College 73-71 on Saturday.

McLean scored to tie the game with 1:01 to play and blocked two Berry shots in the final 53 seconds. After McLean's first block, Ashley scored the go-ahead basket with 27 seconds remaining.

Berry took two shots in the final seconds. McLean blocked the first one and the final shot at the buzzer was off its mark.

"We had a tremendous defensive effort today, especially in the second half," Huntingdon head coach Mike Pugh said. "Brandon was a beast defensively and I'm very proud of everyone. This was a complete team win and the guys played their best game yet. We adjusted to the style being played and we picked up a good win on the road."

McLean finished the game with a game-high nine rebounds and seven blocked shots to go with six points. Huntingdon had four players score in double digits.

R.J. Jones led the Hawks with 15 points and recorded four rebounds and three assists. Jerrod Pettus scored 13 points, nine in the second half, and went 6-for-10 from the field. Pettus grabbed five rebounds and had four assists.

Ashley scored 12 points and had five rebounds and four assists. He was 6-for-8 from the field. Raheem Berry finished with 10 points and had five rebounds.

The Hawks (2-1) played Berry (0-3) close all game and trailed by 11 at halftime. Huntingdon took its first lead of the second half with a layup from Raheem Berry at the 12:15 mark. Neither team trailed by more than five points for the rest of the game.

Huntingdon hosts USA South opponent Piedmont College at Roland Arena on Tuesday at 5 p.m.