ORANGEBURG, SC - There was no shortage of fight for either team as the Claflin Panthers (3-13, 2-4 CIAA) took a 70-67 loss to the Livingstone College Blue Bears (6-4, 3-2 CIAA), Saturday afternoon. The Panthers and Blue Bears played an intense game that came down to the final seconds. Unfortunately, it was the Panthers who came up on the short end in the tough loss.
 
The loss came despite a terrific overall effort by the Panthers. As a team, the Panthers shot a solid 37.9% (25-of-66) from the floor. Senior guard Daryl Kirkland, II led the way for the team with a game-high 14 points in the game. Junior guard Allen Hatchett added nine points. Senior forward Isaiah Jennings led the Panthers' rebounding efforts with five rebounds.
 
The was an intense one from the very beginning with both teams giving a tremendous effort at the defensive end. The Panthers were able to build a four-point lead, 17-13, after a jumper from freshman guard Michael Shuler with 10:11 left in the half. Unfortunately, the Panthers allowed the Blue Bears to build a 29-20 lead with 2:10 left in the half. But the Panthers answered with some terrific play in the final minutes of the half to cut their deficit down to just four points, 29-25 at halftime.
 
In the second half, the Panthers showed some terrific grit as they clawed their way back into the game. Unfortunately, the Panthers' comeback wouldn't begin until the Panthers fell behind by as many as nine points, 45-36, with 13:50 left to play. The Panthers would go on an 11-2 run to tie the game, 47-47, after a steal and lay-up by freshman guard Richard Visitacion with 9:51 left to play. From there, the Panthers would take control of the game after building a 59-55 lead after a jumper from senior guard Donnell Frayer, Jr. with 5:59 left to play. From there, the two teams would go on to battle back and forth until playing to a 66-66 tie with 00:34 left to play. It was then that a Blue Bear lay-up with 00:03 left to play gave the Blue Bears a 68-67 lead. A pair of Blue Bear free throws would seal the game and the 70-67 loss for the Panthers.
 
With the loss, the Panthers fall to 3-13 overall and 2-4 in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) play. For more information on Panthers basketball, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 535-5548 or log on to www.athletics.claflin.edu.