The Belhaven men’s basketball team continued its strong start to conference play Friday night, beating Covenant 87-78 on the road. The Blazers controlled the game from the opening minutes, building a lead with scoring runs in both halves.
Belhaven set the tone early with aggressive defense and activity around the rim. Neal Terry opened the scoring with a three-pointer, and CJ Minton connected on a deep shot on the next possession to give the Blazers a 6-0 lead. Covenant responded inside, but Belhaven responded with a 9-2 run, highlighted by a layup from Kam Beverly, a three from DJ Jones, and a dunk from Beverly, pushing the lead to double digits.
The Blazers maintained their advantage with turnovers forced and transitions converted. Neal Terry scored twice in the paint off assists from Dan Robinson, extending the lead to 19-6. Belhaven continued to control the game, with Robinson attacking downhill, Braylon Dame and CJ Minton finishing in transition, and Benjamin Stewart hitting a three to push the lead to 29-13.
Covenant trimmed the deficit with fast-break finishes late in the first half, but Belhaven closed strong. Stewart drilled a three, Minton responded with another from the wing, and Dyllion Redmond threw down a fast-break dunk after a steal. Robinson scored in the final minute, giving Belhaven a 44-37 halftime lead.
Early in the second half, Covenant made a brief run, cutting the margin to three. Belhaven responded with composure. DJ Jones hit back-to-back threes, sparking a 9-0 run that pushed the lead back to double figures. The Blazers maintained control with balanced scoring, including contributions from Dame, Robinson, and Terry on both ends of the floor.
The most decisive stretch came midway through the half, with Redmond finishing on the break, Stewart scoring after a steal, and Minton hitting a three to extend the advantage to 77-62 with just over five minutes remaining. Covenant made one last push, trimming the deficit to six with under two minutes left, but Belhaven sealed the win at the foul line. Stewart and Robinson combined to go 6-for-6 at the line in the final minute, securing the 87-78 victory.
Belhaven finished with 58 rebounds, 24 second-chance points, and 31 points off turnovers, while holding Covenant to 15.4% shooting from three-point range. The Blazers now prepare to face Maryville tomorrow in the second game of a back-to-back. The Scots and the Blazers are the only undefeated teams remaining in the CCS. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. CST.
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