ATLANTA - This year's Jack Berkshire Classic sponsored by Holiday Inn Express hosted tough competition, as Oglethorpe fell 87-82 to the LaGrange Panthers and 79-76 to the Brevard Tornados Monday and Tuesday in Dorough Field House.

Senior Jackson Kemp had a phenomenal set of games with 26 points against LaGrange and a career high 27 against Brevard, leading him to all-tournament honors.

Game one vs. LaGrange

Kemp led with a career high 26 points plus nine rebounds and two assists. Malachi Dooley followed with 17 points and six rebounds, then Andrew LaVigne with 17 points 16 points, four rebounds and three steals. Carter Watkins made nine points and six rebounds.

The game opened with two good free throws by Watkins. J. Kemp sank a 3-pointer to kick off a 10-2 run, putting the Petrels up 12-4. LaGrange slowly closed the gap, tying things up at 22-22. The rest of the first period was tight, with the Panthers pulling ahead in the final moments for a 40-35 lead.

LaVigne began the second period with a layup which was quickly mirrored by the Panthers. After a lot of back-and-forth, Oglethorpe found an 11-3 run rounded off by a layup from James McGriff for a 55-49 lead. The Panther pushed back and the score tied again at 60-60 with nine minutes left in the game. LaGrange continued to push forward and the Petrels could not keep up. LaVigne made the final basket of the game, but the Petrels fell 87-82.

Game two vs. Brevard

J. Kemp set a new career high with 27 points plus six rebounds. Dooley followed with 19 points and eight rebounds, then Kam Stone with a career high 13 points. LaVigne and Watkins made six points each. Mason Kemp had six rebounds while Anderson Shepherd had three steals (the first of his career).

Three minutes passed with no points on the board, then Dooley swooped in for a layup and a free throw. Brevard went on to dominate the first period, closing the period with a 36-26 lead despite a last second 3-pointer from Stone. 

The Tornados held major ground for 15 minutes, leading to a 27-point lead with 10 minutes to go, then the Petrels found their groove and went on a 23-4 run. This major run included two 3-pointers from Stone, layups from Dooley, plus more from Shepherd, J. Kemp and Cyrus LaPlant. A win was in sight for the Petrels, but there just wasn't enough time. Oglethorpe lost 79-76 after a stressful final few minutes.

Tournament Notes

• J. Kemp set a new career high in scoring twice. He went 10-11 on free throws against Brevard.
• In the LaGrange game, the Petrels went 21-23 on free throws, going 11-for-11 in the second half.
• LaPlant made his first basket of the season.
• LaGrange and Brevard also faced Sewanee, with both games resulting in a win for Sewanee.

About the Jack Berkshire Classic

• Jack Berkshire served Oglethorpe as head men's basketball coach from 1976 to 1998 and posted a 153-97 record. He also served as athletics director from 1976 until his retirement in 2002. Berkshire was inducted into the Oglethorpe Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986. His 1979-80 and 1993-94 teams have also been inducted into the Hall of Fame, as well as multiple of his individual players.
• During his time at Oglethorpe, Berkshire led the Stormy Petrels through the transition into the NCAA and SCAC eras, their first ever SCAC championship, and major athletics program growth. Under Berkshire's leadership, the program increased from six sports to the current 16.
• The event is sponsored by Holiday Inn Express.

Up Next

The Stormy Petrels will return in the New Year to host No. 9 Emory on Saturday, Jan. 3, at 4 p.m. Oglethorpe will then travel to Texas to get into the depth of Southern Athletic Association play, facing No. 15 Trinity on Friday, Jan. 9, and Southwestern on Sunday, Jan. 11.