Seedings, Bracket Set for 2025 Tournament

MILTON, Fl. – With the final conference games of the season in the books, the seedings have been finalized for the 2025 New South Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament beginning this Thursday outside of Pensacola, Florida.

Lighthouse enters the tournament as the top seed for the second consecutive season, this time sporting a perfect 13-0 conference record. The Makos are also the hosts for the event.

Action begins Thursday at 6:00 pm Central time when 8th-seed John Melvin (LA) faces Southeast Christian, the 9th seed. The winner of that game goes on the meet Lighthouse Friday at 7:00 pm Central.

The championship game will tip off Sunday at 2:00 pm Central.

All games will take place at the Lighthouse Gym, 8604 Bobby Brown Road, Milton, Florida, and will be streamed live on the JMU Mohawks Sports Network.

S4C Holds off Southeast to Lock in 5th Seed

WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina Central Christian held off a second-half rally by Southeast Christian to win 76-70 Sunday afternoon and clinch the 5th seed in the upcoming NSAC men’s basketball tournament. It was the final regular season game for both squads.

The Gladiators (3-10 overall, 3-2 NSAC) never trailed and held a 49-43 lead at the half, increasing the margin to as many as 18 points in the second half. The visiting Eagles (4-21, 1-14) regrouped and staged a comeback, cutting the lead to one but could not close the deal.

S4C’s Kevin Butler led the Glads with 22 points with Daquan Ramen adding 19. Southeast’s Naysean Rhome led all scorers with 28.

Lighthouse Overpowers JMCC to Clinch NSAC Top Seed

MILTON, Fl. – Lighthouse Christian got a combined 71 points from Eddie Brown and Wol Yak to down John Melvin (FL) 114-105 Thursday night and clinch the top seed in the NSAC men’s basketball tournament for the second consecutive year.

Yak led all scorers with 36 points, 25 of them coming in the second half. Brown followed with 35 points. Darion Ramos led the Mohawks with 27.

With the win, Lighthouse (23-2 overall, 12-0 NSAC) locks up the top spot for next week’s tournament, which it will host.

The loss drops JMCC (22-4, 10-2) to third, but several games between now and Monday will impact the standings between seeds 2-4.

JMCC and Lighthouse will meet again on Monday, February 24.

Image courtesy Lighthouse Athletics

Beacon Forfeits Four Games Due to Ineligible Player

The USCAA has informed Beacon College that it must forfeit four men’s basketball games, including wins over Lighthouse and John Melvin (LA), due to the use of an ineligible player.

The games included all three NSAC contests during the Leesburg Classic in January, plus a non-conference contest against Trinity College of Florida. Beacon had recorded wins in three of the four games.

“We affirm the importance of upholding the integrity of intercollegiate competition and appreciate the guidance of the USCAA in ensuring compliance with its regulations,” Beacon president Dr. George Hagerty stated in an email to the effected schools and the NSAC.

“We appreciate Beacon’s commitment to fairness and sportsmanship,” said NSAC commissioner Mike Davis. “Their administration was forthcoming and open throughout the process, and that does not go unappreciated.”

The forfeits mean Beacon drops to 3-7 and 7th place in conference play. It also erases Lighthouse’s only conference loss, propelling the Makos atop the standings with a two-game series against second-place John Melvin (FL) taking place over the next five days to close out the regular season.

Mustangs Knock Off Builders in OT 81-76

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Mid-Atlantic Christian forward Stewart Clough drained a 3-point shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime, then teammate Keith Shakes, Jr. scored eight of the Mustangs’ 14 points in the bonus period to lead MACU to an 81-76 win over Apprentice Monday night.

The visitors jumped out to an 8-0 lead early before the Builders were able to get on the scoreboard. MACU (13-11 overall, 6-1 NSAC) led all but 1:47 of the first half to take a 28-26 lead into intermission.

Apprentice (14-5, 5-2) held most of the momentum out of the halftime break after Donovan Means hit a three right at the end of the first half, but the Mustangs never went away, answering every Builder run. AS led by as many as nine in the second half and led by three with eight seconds left when Clough hit a three from the left wing as time expired in regulation to force overtime, tied at 67-67.

In the extra period, MACU took the momentum and burst out to a 74-69 lead. Apprentice tied the game up moments later at 74-74 before a 7-2 run for MACU sealed the deal.

“We needed this,” said Mustangs coach Charles Sims. “This was a total team effort. All the players left it on the floor tonight. Their effort was incredible tonight. We stayed focused and achieved what we needed to accomplish. Our team free throws during the overtime was the difference.”

Shakes led the Herd with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Clough followed with 14 and eight, respectively. Keondre Rodgers and Tyus Williams had 11 points apiece.

The Builders were led by Donovan Means with 23 points.

Much like last week’s contest between the two rivals in Elizabeth City, this one saw nine ties and 10 lead changes. AS came out on top in the February 12 game, 74-66.

The game marked the first win ever by the Mustangs over the Builders in Newport News and ends a 10-game losing streak in the series.

With the win, MACU clinches finishing no lower than third in the NSAC standings with one conference game remaining against Central International next Monday, February 24. The Mustangs could move up to second if either John Melvin (FL) or Lighthouse sweep their two-game series to be played this week. Apprentice has locked up fourth place.

Thanks to Walker McCrary at Apprentice Athletics for his help with this story. Image courtesy MACU Athletics.

What We Know with One Week to Go

We have just one week (eight days actually, if you count today, but I digress) until the 2024-25 NSAC men’s basketball regular season comes to a close, thereby completing the seedings for the tournament, AND YET there are still questions to be answered! It’s been that kind of a ride. But here’s what we DO KNOW as of today:

  1. The top four spots are a crap shoot. John Melvin (FL) and Lighthouse are tied for first and are scheduled to play twice this week. Apprentice and MACU are tied for third with the Builders holding the tiebreaker, but these two teams will also play TONIGHT in Newport News, so that tiebreaker is a moot point. Suffice it to say, the three remaining games among these four will settle the order, with various combinations of wins and losses determining the top four seeds, but none of them can fall lower than fourth. So there.
  2. Beacon and SC Central are tied for fifth, but the Blazers’ conference schedule is complete while the Gladiators host Southeast Christian next Sunday. If S4C wins, it will claim fifth outright and Beacon will fall to sixth. Vice versa if Southeast wins. More on that in a moment.
  3. Atlantis is locked into seventh. Thus it has been decreed, thus it shall be.
  4. JMU (LA) is eighth, and Southeast is ninth, regardless if the Eagles win in South Carolina next weekend. Thus, the Millers and Eagles will face off in the lone first round game on Thursday, February 27 for the right to tackle the top seed the following day. Talk about incentive.

And there you have it. The picture at the top will start to clear a bit once tonight’s Battle in the Bay is over and attention turns to the first of two Pensacola Pileups. Gosh, this is fun.

Photo by Thomas T on Unsplash

MACU Drops Heartbreaker at SMC 85-84

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Spartanburg Methodist College senior guard Bryan Bayonne was fouled with :07 left and made one of two free throws to lead the Pioneers to an 85-84 win over Mid-Atlantic Christian on Saturday. 

The Pioneers (9-14) were led by Bayonee, who went on to score a game-high 28 (7 of 15 from the field) with four 3-pointers in the win. He also had seven steals and four assists to contribute to the winning efforts. Richard Rojas had a double double with 14 points and 10 rebounds and the third Pioneer in double figures was Tavarez Lacey, who had 10 points. 

The Mustangs (12-11) were paced by a 22-point game from Janus Shepherd. He was joined in double figures by Stewart Clough, who had 15, and Tyus Williams, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds. 

MACU forced a pair of SMC turnovers and managed to tie the game at 84 when Shepherd made a layup with :34 to go. Then, the Pioneers and head coach Blake Jackson, who was celebrating his birthday, called a timeout. 

The Pioneers put the ball in the hands of the senior from Baton Rouge, who drove to the basket with :07 left and was fouled by the Mustangs. After missing the first free throw, Bayonne made the second. The visitors had a last-second attempt, but a jumper by Shepherd came up short.  

Story courtesy gosmcpioneers.com; Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Builders Knock Mustangs from Top of Standings 74-66

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Apprentice got 18 points from Donovan Means and 32 points from its bench to hand Mid-Atlantic Christian its first conference loss 74-66 Wednesday night.

The Builders (14-4 overall, 5-1 NSAC) trailed for most of the first half but stayed within striking distance and evened it up at halftime 35-35. The defending conference and USCAA champions then used the decisive second half to take the lead for good and pull away for the final score.

MACU (11-10, 4-1) was led by Keith Shakes, Jr. with 22 points.

“Apprentice was the better team down the stretch,” Mustangs coach Charles Sims said after the game. “There were times in the game where we played our game and then times where we didn’t execute on both ends of the floor. Too many unforced turnovers and our shot selection during pivotal time of the game hindered our performance.”

The win propels Apprentice into third place and drops MACU to fourth. The two teams will face each other again next Monday, February 17, in Newport News, Virginia.

John Melvin (FL) and Lighthouse are now tied for first with 10-1 conference marks. They will play each other February 20 and 24 before heading to the conference tournament March 27.

Image courtesy Doug Carter/MACU Athletics

Rosario Grinds His Way to POW Award

Atlantis University’s men’s basketball team displayed gritty resolve in this weekend’s Pensacola Classic, highlighted by senior Jose Rosario.

Atlanteans coach Francisco Hernandez elected to play only five players Sunday after others had been involved in an altercation during Saturday’s game. Rosario, a 6’3″ guard from the Dominican Republic and a former NJCAA All-American, not only toughed out all 40 minutes on Sunday, but poured in 44 points, hauled in 18 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists, playing much of the second half 4-on-5 after a teammate fouled out. For his determined and resilient play, Rosario has been named the NSAC Player of the Week.

Congrats, Jose!

Image courtesy Atlantis Athletics