Maryville, Tenn. — The Belhaven Blazers made history Saturday, winning their first CCS Tournament title with a 92-73 victory over LaGrange at the Cooper Athletic Center.
The win secures Belhaven’s first NCAA Division III Tournament berth. The team improves to 16-12 overall. CJ Minton was named the CCS Tournament MVP, while Dan Robinson and Neal Terry earned All-Tournament honors after leading the Blazers through a three-game run.
Belhaven shot 47.7 percent from the field, made 10 three-pointers, and out-rebounded LaGrange 51-33. The team also scored 23 fast-break points in a dominant championship performance.
Minton started strong, scoring back-to-back threes within the first two minutes to give Belhaven an early 6-0 lead. LaGrange responded with a fast-break layup from Micah McAllister, but Neal Terry scored inside, and Dyllion Redmond added a three to push the lead to 11-3.
The Panthers rallied midway through the first half, with Devin Dowell hitting a three to cut the deficit to two, and Micah McAllister’s layup briefly gave LaGrange a 16-15 lead. Belhaven quickly regained control with a 12-4 run, highlighted by transition baskets from Robinson, Terry, and Wallace. Braylon Dame’s three at the 2:40 mark pushed the lead to 39-27.
LaGrange closed the half with free throws and baskets from Kani Rashied-Henry and Zyon Heath, but Terry added a final free throw to give Belhaven a 44-32 advantage at halftime.
The Panthers opened the second half strong, with Colton and Gonzalez scoring quickly to cut the lead to nine. Minton responded with a steal and a transition three, sparking a 12-3 run that stretched the lead to 56-39. Belhaven continued to push ahead, with Robinson, Dame, and Terry increasing the margin to 70-52 with 11:33 remaining.
Despite LaGrange’s effort behind McAllister and Dowell, who helped trim the deficit to 12, Belhaven responded each time. Robinson scored inside, Stewart added a transition layup, and Terry secured rebounds to maintain a double-digit lead. Minton and DJ Jones finished the game at the free-throw line, sealing the victory. Robinson’s final layup in the closing minutes capped the championship celebration.
CJ Minton led all scorers in the final with 18 points, including four three-pointers and a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line. Over the tournament, he averaged 21.3 points while shooting 57.1 percent from three. Dan Robinson contributed 17 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in the final, averaging 17.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists across the three games. Neal Terry added 14 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks in the final, with impressive averages throughout the tournament run.
Belhaven now awaits its NCAA Tournament destination and opponent as it prepares for its first appearance on the national stage. The program has achieved a historic milestone by qualifying for the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time.
