JACKSON, Miss. — Belhaven Women’s Basketball defeated Maryville 75-69 Saturday afternoon at Rugg Arena. The Blazers improved to 14-4 overall and 7-3 in conference play with the win.
The game was closely contested early. Belhaven scored its first points at the free-throw line before Kiersten Hudson made a jumper to spark the offense. Ny Jones and Kyla Farmer contributed transition baskets, giving the Blazers a small lead. Maryville responded with Ella Haney scoring multiple times in the paint, tying the game at 17-17 heading into the second quarter.
Belhaven took control in the second quarter with a 13-3 run behind strong defense and transition play. RaMya King converted fast-break opportunities, Veronica Williams finished a layup, and Hudson hit back-to-back three-pointers to push the lead to double digits. Maryville trimmed the margin late with baskets from Haney and Emily Wilson, but Belhaven maintained its advantage and took a 42-34 lead into halftime.
The third quarter saw Belhaven extend its lead to 14 points early, thanks to points from Jones, Farmer, and Williams. Maryville responded with baskets from Kadence Stoner and Ella Tharpe, but the Blazers answered with timely defense and offensive pushes, including a three from Hudson and a layup from King. Belhaven entered the fourth quarter ahead 59-54.
In the final period, Maryville made a push, cutting the lead to two on a three-pointer by Haney with just over six minutes remaining. Belhaven responded with a scoring run, including a basket from Jenkins, a layup from King, and a finish from Farmer, to push the lead back to eight. Williams added a key three with less than two minutes left, sealing the win. Maryville continued fighting behind Haney, but Belhaven secured the victory at the free-throw line and with defensive rebounds.
Hudson led all scorers with 17 points. King added 15 off the bench, Williams scored 11, and Jenkins contributed nine. The Blazers will host Piedmont later this weekend. Fans can follow @BelhavenBlazers on social media for updates and support the team through Team Green Giving.
