Category: Lighthouse

Denmark Tech Holds Off Lighthouse Christian for 91-84 Victory

DENMARK, S.C. — Ashton Jamison scored a game-high 29 points as Denmark Tech defeated Lighthouse Christian 91-84 in men’s college basketball action Monday.

It was Lighthouse who had the hot hand early, leading by eight points, 47-39, at the intermission. But the Panthers came out of the locker room inspired, outscoring the Makos 17-7 in the first 5:28 of the second half, to take their first lead of the game, 56-54 with 14:32 remaining.

Jamison led a balanced Denmark Tech (2-1) offense that featured three double-digit scorers. James Watson contributed 13 points, while Kobi Jefferies added 12.

Gavin Faure paced Lighthouse (1-2) with 20 points, while Jerome Landor added 16. Jerrod Gee chipped in 14 points, and Hayden Bowman and Cano Grays scored 13 apiece.

The game was an NSAC interdivisional matchup and did not count towards the conference standings.

Faure Scores 27 as Lighthouse Christian Defeats Barber-Scotia 81-75

CONCORD, N.C. — Gavin Faure scored a game-high 27 points, and Lighthouse Christian College defeated Barber-Scotia College 81-75 in men’s college basketball action Sunday.

The Sabers led most of the game, but late mistakes proved costly and allowed the Makos to capture the lead and hang on for their first win of the season.

Faure led a balanced Lighthouse (1-1) attack that featured four players scoring in double figures with Cano Gray adding 18 points and Nick Penn finishing with 11.

Barber-Scotia (0-5) was led by Marri Wells with 25 points. Zelden Chukes and Marcus Calhoun added 14 points apiece while Demariel Smith contributed 10.

The win came one day after Lighthouse suffered a 95-67 loss to South Carolina Central. The Makos wrap up their early-season barnstorming tour Monday at Denmark Tech.

SC Central Pulls Away from Lighthouse, 95-67

CAYCE, S.C. – South Carolina Central Christian College used a strong second-half performance to defeat Lighthouse Christian College 95-67 in men’s college basketball action Saturday.

South Carolina Central (1-2) led 40-22 at halftime and maintained its advantage behind several double-digit scorers.

Riley Durant led S4C with 23 points, while Tyrek Dawson added 18. Nazir Sample contributed 14 points.

Lighthouse (0-1) was led by Derek George, Jr. with 19 points. Nick Penn added 12, and Jerrod Gee finished with 11.

The Makos improved offensively after halftime, scoring 45 points, but the Gladiators’ balanced scoring attack proved too much for Lighthouse to overcome.

The game was an early season showcase between the NSAC opponents but does not count in the conference standings. Lighthouse continues its northern tour Sunday at Barber-Scotia.

Insaurralde Heads NSAC All-Conference Team

Atlantis University forward Santiago Insaurralde has been voted the New South Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player for 2025-26 by the league’s head coaches.

Insaurralde, a senior from Buenos Aires, Argentina, delivered an elite campaign in 2025-26, establishing himself as one of the most dependable and productive players in the conference. He started 18 of 20 games and scored 414 points, averaging 20.7 points per game while shooting an outstanding 57.3% from the field.

He finished the regular season Top 5 in USCAA Division 1 in points per game and ranked Top 20 in rebounding, an impressive mark for a small forward who impacts the game on both ends of the floor. As a senior with 900+ career points, his consistency, leadership, and production define his legacy.

“Santi leads the most talent-loaded All-Conference Team in league history,” said NSAC commissioner Mike Davis. “Congratulations to him on his outstanding career, and to the entire team for a job well done.”

2026 NSAC Men’s Basketball All-Conference

FIRST TEAM

  • Santiago Insaurralde, Atlantis (MVP)
  • Luis Carias, URBE
  • Eddie Brown, Lighthouse
  • Ernesto Hichez, Beacon
  • Nazir Sample, SC Central
  • Devon Brown, Apprentice
  • Jahlil Hope, Apprentice

SECOND TEAM

  • Artem Sorokin, Atlantis
  • Tre’von Redd, Beacon
  • Lomar Sparrow, Southeast Christian
  • Tyrek Dawson, SC Central
  • Devarious Johnson, SC Central
  • Marcus White, Lighthouse
  • Shamon Rosser, Apprentice
  • Hector Saavedra, URBE
  • Elijah Dias, Mid-Atlantic Christian

THIRD TEAM

  • Wayne Hedgepeth, Apprentice
  • Folayemi Solako, Atlantis
  • Nick Gravely, Barber-Scotia
  • Javeon Well-Reddick, Beacon
  • JB Wiltz, Lighthouse
  • Janus Shepherd, Mid-Atlantic Christian
  • Tyus Wilson, Millennia Atlantic
  • Karlton Walton, Southeast Christian
  • Ronal Hodelin, URBE

All-Academic Teams Announced

The New South Athletic Conference is proud to announce the 2026 Men’s Basketball All-Academic Team, comprised of student-athletes sporting a 3.0 or higher GPA.

“Now more than ever, the importance of education is paramount, and we in the NSAC take that seriously,” says commissioner Mike Davis. “While college sports elsewhere become more and more consumed by other interests, the NSAC continues to recognize the ‘student’ in ‘student-athlete.’ I am so proud of each of these young people and they institutions they represent.”

2026 All-Academic Team MBB

APPRENTICE

  • Wayne Hedgepeth
  • Donovan Means
  • Joel Maxey

ATLANTIS

  • Samuel Jimenez
  • Santiago Insaurralde
  • Artem Sorokin

BARBER-SCOTIA

  • Jakobie Abram
  • Channing Beadles
  • Christian Nickerson

BEACON

  • Cooper White
  • Noah Wilhelm
  • Jovan Bell
  • Ernesto Hichez
  • Tre’von Redd
  • Sean James

LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN

  • Eddie Brown
  • Joseph Bob Wiltz
  • Canaan Grays

MID-ATLANTIC CHRISTIAN

  • Tyus Williams
  • Janus Shepherd
  • Stewart Clough
  • Janai Williams
  • Terrence Williams
  • Uriah Logan

MILLENNIA ATLANTIC

  • Ty’rion Denson

SC CENTRAL

  • Kansas Nichols
  • Tyrek Dawson
  • Christian Braxton
  • Aron Escobar

SOUTHEAST CHRISTIAN

  • Coy Sizemore
  • Tasir Best
  • Calvin Harrigan
  • Ixion Toro
  • Jaden Victor
  • Karlton Walton
  • Marvin Windom
  • Bernard Standley
  • Ranoldo Alcantara
  • Darwin Huerfano Grieco
  • Carey Davis

URBE

  • Gianmario Fernandez
  • Ethan Fernandez
  • Hector Saavedra
  • Joseph Behrend
  • Reynier Olivar
  • Gabriel Fernandez
  • Ronal Hodelin
  • Luis Carias
  • Jose Suazo
  • Diego Ramos
  • Yasmany Flores

Atlantis, Beacon Survive and Advance

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Atlantis University pulled away in the second half to beat South Carolina Central 74-58 Friday afternoon in the first quarterfinal game of the 2026 NSAC Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Artem Sorokin scored 21 points and knocked down five 3-pointers to lead Atlantis, which outscored South Carolina Central 43-29 after halftime. Ornie Brooks added 15 points and five assists, while Folayemi Salako posted 12 points and 13 rebounds. The 3rd-seeded Atlanteans shot 46.4% in the second half and went 9 of 20 from beyond the arc for the game.

Nazir Sample led 7th-seed S4C with 15 points, while Tyrek Dawson and David Lias each scored 11. The Gladiators struggled at the foul line, hitting just 3 of 11 free throws.

In the second game of the afternoon, 4th-seed Beacon College came from 22 points down to beat 5th-seed Lighthouse in overtime, 97-93.

Ernesto Hichez finished with 32 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Blazers, which erased a 13-point halftime deficit. Tony Wade added 23 points, knocking down five 3-pointers, and Noah Wilhelm scored 17, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:09 left in overtime, as Beacon shot 52.5% in the second half and 44.4% from beyond the arc for the game.

Lighthouse led 48-35 at the break and had four players score in double figures, led by Eddie Brown’s 26 points and 12 rebounds. JB Wiltz added 25 points, while Brent Royal Jr. chipped in 12. Marcus White grabbed 15 rebounds for the visitors.

URBE and Beacon face off for the third time this season in the tournament semifinals Saturday at 7:30 pm.

Lighthouse Overwhelms Westgate 98–73 with Dominant First Half

HOUSTON — Lighthouse Christian College exploded for 50 first-half points and never looked back, rolling to a 98–73 New South conference win over Westgate Christian University on Saturday afternoon.

Lighthouse (8-1 overall, 1-0 NSAC) used suffocating defense and overwhelming rebounding to build a 27-point halftime lead. The Makos controlled the glass 61–53 and forced 19 turnovers while giving the Ravens few second-chance opportunities.

Senior guard Eddie Brown led Lighthouse with 16 points, hitting seven of 17 shots and adding six assists. Brent Royal added 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including three 3-pointers, and Brandon Royal also scored 15 while grabbing seven rebounds. Marcus White posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Lighthouse closed the game with 22 assists and 16 steals, turning defensive pressure into transition scoring to seal the road victory.

Westgate (2-8, 0-4) found more rhythm after the break, scoring 50 second-half points, but the early deficit proved too steep. The Ravens shot just 31 of 94 (32.9 %) from the field and 5 of 33 (15.1 %) from beyond the arc.

Lighthouse Avenges Earlier Loss to MDCC 89-79

MILTON, Fl. – Lighthouse Christian used a dominant second half to pull away from Mississippi Delta for an 89–79 win Saturday.

Mako guard Eddie Brown, recovering from a cold, led all scorers with 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting and added six rebounds and eight assists in a standout all-around effort. JB Wiltz added 15 points and five rebounds, while Brent Royal chipped in 11 points as Lighthouse hit nine 3-pointers and shot 32 of 71 from the field.

After trailing 41–35 at the break, the Makos erupted in the second half, outscoring MDCC 54–38 behind improved perimeter shooting and a 15-for-22 performance at the free-throw line. Lighthouse also forced 17 turnovers, turning several into transition buckets.

Mississippi Delta, which shot 33-of-82 and finished with a 46–37 rebounding edge, couldn’t match Lighthouse’s late efficiency from the arc and at the foul line.

Lighthouse (7-1) suffered its only loss of the season 81-76 to MDCC at Moorhead, Mississippi on November 10. LCC has never lost on its home floor in the program’s four-year history (37-0).

The Makos are now off until they open NSAC play at Westgate Christian in Houston, Texas on December 6.

Image courtesy Lighthouse Athletics

Lighthouse Claims First NSAC Tourney Championship

MILTON, Fla. – Daniel Poole scored 22 points, 18 in the second half, as Lighthouse Christian pulled away for an 87-76 win over Mid-Atlantic Christian in the 2025 NSAC Men’s Basketball Championship Sunday afternoon.

MACU led the entire first half, by as many as 11 points, before Lighthouse closed the gap to 42-38 at halftime. But the second half belonged to the Makos, who took their first lead, 47-46, just over two minutes into the final stanza, a lead they would not relinquish.

Sam Benton, Jr. and Eddie Brown each added 17 for Lighthouse, followed by Wol Yak with 10.

Stewart Clough led the Mustangs with 19 points. Keith Shakes, Jr. chalked 14 points and 12 boards before picking up his fifth foul with a little more than seven minutes to play. Janus Shephard and Ty Williams also scored 14 apiece.

The championship ends the season for Lighthouse, a national independent, but Mid-Atlantic now awaits its fate in Monday’s USCAA National Championship Bid Show.

Lighthouse Advances to Title Game with 82-68 Win over Apprentice

MILTON, Fla. – Top-seed Lighthouse Christian downed 4th-seed Apprentice Saturday afternoon in the New South Athletic Conference semifinals 82-68.

The Builders jumped out to a 15-3 lead in the first 5:30 of the contest, but the Makos answered by holding Apprentice to just three points over the next eight minutes to claw back into the game. The game went back-and-forth throughout the remainder of the first half with Lighthouse holding a narrow 33-32 lead at the break.

The game continued to flip back and forth through much of the second half, but a 9-0 run for the Makos just past the 10:00 mark of the second half put the game in the home team’s hands as they ultimately held on for the win.

Sam Benton, Jr. led the Makos with 22 points. Adrion Wall led Apprentice with 22 points, while Donovan Means notched a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Lighthouse advances to the NSAC Championship game for the second consecutive year. The Makos face Mid-Atlantic Christian Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Eastern/2:00 pm Central. The game will be streamed live on the JMU Mohawks Sports Network.

The Builders will now await their selection into the USCAA National Tournament to take place starting March 11 in Buffalo, New York. The bid show is set for Monday afternoon at 12:40 p.m. Eastern time on the USCAA Sports Network.

Thanks to Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics for this story.