WINONA LAKE – The Grace College men’s basketball team executed late to pull away with a pulse-pounding 89-88 victory over Huntington on Saturday.

The Lancers’ clutch shooting included five made free throws over the final 25 seconds to erase a late deficit against Huntington.

When Grace and Huntington faced off last year, both games were decided by four or fewer points. Saturday’s game followed that trend with a classic Crossroads League battle.

Huntington opened up the game on a 7-0 spurt before the game settled into its rhythm. Overall, the game included 12 ties and 27 lead changes.

The Foresters (4-5; 1-2 CL) went into the break ahead 41-37, but they would not hold a lead of greater than four points for the rest of the game.

Late in the game, the Foresters used a quick 5-0 run to claim an 81-78 lead with less than three minutes remaining, but freshman Caleb Featherston drilled a 3-pointer on the next possession to tie the game.

Huntington grabbed a two-point lead before Grimm scored to knot the game at 84-84. The Foresters were fouled on their next possession and made 1-of-2 from the line to take a one-point lead with 47 seconds remaining.

After Grimm was fouled on Grace’s end of the floor, he handed Grace an 86-85 lead with a pair of gutsy free throws with 25 seconds left.

Huntington was then whistled for traveling on its next possession and was forced to foul Lee Ross, who calmly sank both free throws with under seven seconds on the clock.

Grace then initiated a full-court press after the made free throw, which rattled the Foresters into a turnover. Huntington sent Featherston to the free throw line, and his 1-of-2 performance from the charity stripe allowed the Lancers (5-2; 2-1 CL) to surrender a meaningless last-second 3-pointer from Huntington in Grace’s win.

Grimm led all players with 31 points on 11-of-20 shooting, and Elliot Smith buried 4-of-6 from the 3-point line for 17 points.

Greg Miller totaled 12 points and eight boards, and Featherston added 10 points off the bench.

The Lancers will host the Habitat for Humanity Tournament next weekend at the Orthopaedic Capital Center. Grace will play Wilberforce on Friday and Trinity Christian on Saturday.