No. 23 Berry defeated Birmingham-Southern College 77-58 in a Southern Athletic Association men's basketball semifinal matchup on Saturday in the Cage Center. 
From tipoff to the final buzzer, there wasn't anyone who wasn't holding their breath, as the intensity filled the gym and the court. With every big play, the crowd came to their feet in roars creating the first "normal" SAA tournament environment since Covid. 
"That was the best crowd in two and a half years. It was so nice to finally hear them making some noise, and I think it really affected them shooting the ball down the stretch," said Berry head coach Trevor Lydic. 
The Panthers (12-14) hit a three pointer to start their strong offensive performance, that would only last a half, and would hold a four minute lead over the Vikings (22-2) until Michael Johnson hit a layup to give his team a one point lead. 
The Vikings struggled to break away from the Panthers as they tied it up 7-7, but Chase Ellis had other plans as he laid down a monstrous dunk to put Berry ahead. 
In the final two minutes of the half, the Vikings were able to outscore the Panthers, giving them a four point edge heading into halftime, with a low score of 34-30. 
Berry was unable to put BSC to bed during the first half, with three ties and five lead changes. Lydic said the Panthers were bringing the pressure, but their ability to adjust at halftime benefited them in the end. 
"The pressure was getting to us a little bit and we needed to calm down and take a breath, really it was a team effort. We've been a second half team all year long, and usually we can make some adjustments at halftime," said Lydic. 
The Vikings offense came storming out of the locker room, putting up an eight point lead, their biggest yet. History repeated itself with a Panther comeback with 10 minutes to play in The Cage. The Panthers sank a three, making it a two point game, but Johnson ruined their plans with a three of his own, putting the crowd on their feet. 
Berry held off the BSC, wearing them down in the final five minutes to grab a 19 point win. 
Lydic said that the team is well balanced on both sides of the ball, which allowed them to wear down BSC. 
"We're well balanced in attack, and that's why we've been successful all year. We don't just key in on one guy, it's several guys that can step up and play." 
Ellis and Brooks each tallied 17 points to lead BC. The team grabbed 40 rebounds, with Owen Honroth and Books contributing eight a piece. 
The Vikings will play in the championship game against Oglethorpe at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon in The Cage.