Blue Mountain Christian opens season with 100-81 win over Rust

Blue Mountain Christian opened its 2026-27 men’s basketball season Thursday with a 100-81 win over Rust College at Tyler Gym in Blue Mountain, Mississippi.

The Toppers built a 49-37 halftime lead, shooting 48.7% from the field in the first half. They added 51 points after the break and shot 60% in the second half, stretching their advantage to 21 points before finishing with a 19-point victory.

Esrael Yant came off the bench to lead Blue Mountain Christian with 23 points. He made 7 of 11 shots from the field and 8 of 10 free throws, and recorded three steals and a block. Seck Zongo added 18 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double.

Jeremiah Hayes scored 14 points, KJ Anderson had 13, including three 3-pointers, and Luka Goshadze finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. Zane Tipler led the team with seven assists and also had three steals.

Blue Mountain Christian shot 53.6% overall and scored 52 points in the paint and 25 points off Rust turnovers. The Toppers’ bench contributed 45 points. The team finished with 15 assists and eight steals.

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