By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

The LaGrange Grangers will try to make it a perfect two-for-two to start the season when they host Whitewater on Tuesday.

LaGrange opened its season with a 68-54 win over Northside-Columbus last week, and it was the debut for four freshmen who got significant playing time.

Exavious Reed, Kilas Hodnett, Kiian Hodnett and Garrett Jacobsen either started or came off the bench.

“We started two freshmen. That’s the most freshmen we’ve played in a game since 2007,” said LaGrange head coach Mark Veal. “And we had two more freshmen off the bench.”

While the freshmen were a big part of the story, it was a senior who led the way in scoring for the Grangers.

D.J. Burks, one of the most experienced players on the roster, had a game-high 19 points.

Javon Brown added 12 points, and Kobe Jones added eight points.

The game was close into the third quarter, but the Grangers pulled away late for the one-sided win.

“It was back-and-forth, and a little bit in the third quarter, and then we separated in the third, and wound up winning by 14,” Veal said.

The game, Veal said, gave the players a chance to “get some of the jitters out.”

LaGrange’s girls’ team, meanwhile, will look to bounce back from a tough loss to Northside in its season opener.

LaGrange was unable to get much going offensively on the way to a 43-34 loss.

Quay Robinson led LaGrange with 10 points.

LaGrange’s teams finish the week with games at Northside-Columbus on Friday.