MARYVILLE, Tenn. (March 1, 2025) – The Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) Men’s Basketball Tournament was a thrilling showcase of resilience, upsets, and unforgettable performances. When the dust settled, it was Huntingdon that completed a Cinderella run, knocking off both regular-season co-champions to claim their first-ever CCS title and a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

Huntingdon’s Historic Championship Run
Entering as the No. 3 seed, Huntingdon’s path to the title was anything but easy. The Hawks opened tournament play against No. 6 seed Piedmont in a back-and-forth battle. Both teams held double-digit leads at different points, but sophomore standout BJ Brown led the charge as the Hawks fended off a late push to secure a 71-67 victory.

Advancing to the semifinal round, Huntingdon faced No. 2 seed Belhaven, a team that had defeated them twice in the regular season. The Blazers jumped out to an early 8-4 lead, thanks to hot shooting from beyond the arc. Undeterred, the Hawks clawed their way back, riding a dominant stretch to take a 13-point lead at halftime. Despite multiple comeback attempts by Belhaven in the second half, a clutch three-pointer by Martise Jackson in the final minute followed by a floater from Brown sealed a 78-66 win, sending the Hawks to their first conference championship game since 2020.

Awaiting them in the final was top-seeded Maryville. The Scots pushed the Hawks to the limit in a game that came down to the wire. Huntingdon took a narrow 48-44 lead into halftime, setting the stage for a dramatic finish. With under two minutes remaining, free throws from Maryville’s Reed Kemp tied the game at 89-89. But when it mattered most, tournament MVP BJ Brown sliced through the defense for a go-ahead basket with 41 seconds left. Key defensive stops and free throws in the closing moments sealed the 93-92 win, cementing Huntingdon’s place in history as the program’s first CCS men’s basketball champion and NCAA Tournament qualifier in the Division III era.

Maryville’s Strong Campaign Ends in Heartbreak
As the No. 1 seed, Maryville entered the tournament fresh off a dominant regular season. After earning a first-round bye, the Scots opened their postseason against No. 4 seed Asbury. Reed Kemp put on a scoring clinic, dropping 30 points in a 91-73 semifinal victory. His performance not only extended his streak of consecutive 30-point games but also broke Maryville’s single-season scoring record, a mark that had stood for 53 years. The Scots imposed their will in the paint, outscoring Asbury 50-28 inside and controlling the fastbreak game.
That win set up a showdown with Huntingdon for the championship. Kemp once again delivered, scoring 44 points—the most by a Maryville player in 47 years. The Scots erased a late deficit and had a chance to tie or take the lead in the final moments, but they couldn’t get the crucial basket they needed. Huntingdon’s clutch execution down the stretch handed Maryville a 93-92 loss, ending their tournament run with a 21-6 overall record (11-1 CCS).

Belhaven Falls Short in Semifinal Upset
Belhaven, the No. 2 seed, entered the tournament sharing the regular-season title with Maryville. The Blazers earned a first-round bye and matched up against Huntingdon in the semifinals. Early on, Belhaven looked poised to continue their dominance, building an 18-9 lead midway through the first half. However, a relentless Huntingdon squad stormed back with a 28-6 run to take a commanding halftime lead. Though Belhaven made multiple second-half surges, the deficit proved too steep, and their tournament run ended with a 78-66 loss. The Blazers now sit at 21-5 overall (11-1 CCS).

Asbury’s Postseason Journey
Asbury, the No. 4 seed, opened tournament play against No. 5 Covenant and put on an offensive showcase. The Eagles drained seven first-half threes and shot 47% from the field en route to a 97-83 victory. Their triumph was briefly interrupted by a city-wide power outage, but they returned the next day to finish the job.
In the semifinals, Asbury faced top-seeded Maryville. The Eagles fought hard, cutting into an early deficit with strong second-half shooting. However, the Scots’ experience and firepower proved too much, and Asbury fell 91-73, closing the season with a 9-18 overall record (4-8 CCS).

Piedmont & Covenant’s Early Exits and Tough Breaks
The No. 6 seed Piedmont Lions nearly pulled off an upset in the first round against Huntingdon. The Lions built a double-digit second-half lead, but Huntingdon surged late to claim a 71-67 victory. The loss ended Piedmont’s season at 11-15 overall (3-9 CCS).

Covenant, the No. 5 seed, faced Asbury in the opening round but ran into trouble early. Trailing by 23 points, the Scots' momentum was briefly halted when a power outage forced a game delay. They returned with renewed energy but couldn’t close the gap, falling 97-83 and wrapping up their season at 9-16 overall (4-8 CCS).


All-Tournament Team
B.J. Brown, Huntingdon (MVP)
Nate Johns, Huntingdon
Martise Jackson, Huntingdon
Reed Kemp, Maryville
Javi Rosell, Maryville
Jonathan Lucas, Belhaven
Luke Imfeld, Asbury

Looking Ahead
With their championship victory, Huntingdon secures an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and awaits Monday’s announcement of their opponent, stay up to date on where they go and who they play, here.



ABOUT THE COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTH (CCS)
The CCS is an NCAA Division III athletic conference that began play during the 2022-23 academic year. The conference features nine member institutions (Agnes Scott College, Asbury University, Belhaven University, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Piedmont University, and Wesleyan College) and sponsors championships across 14 sports. In addition to sharing the member institutions' geographic identity, the name 'Collegiate Conference of the South' is indicative of a shared commitment to academic excellence, which is commensurate with the NCAA Division III philosophy.
 
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