by Spencer Wright
JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven Women’s Basketball team notched their third-straight win on Saturday, knocking off Maryville,73-68, to secure the season sweep over the Scots. The Blazers improved to 12-6 (7-3 CCS) in the 2022-23 campaign.
In a back-and-forth first quarter, Shantashia John knocked down a pair of threes late to give the Blazers a 17-14 lead after the first 10 minutes. The second quarter remained tight throughout as Belhaven took a 34-31 lead into the locker room.
The Green and Gold began to create some separation late in the third, with John completing a three-point play the old-fashioned way to give the Blazers a 49-37 lead with 2:41 left.
John’s sixth three-ball of the game gave Belhaven its largest lead of the day at 61-47 early in the fourth, but Maryville did not go away. The visitors used a 17-4 run over the next six minutes to draw within one.
After a pair of free throws from Reagan Buchanan put the Blazers in front 71-68 with 30 seconds left in regulation, John came up with a steal on the inbounds pass. Jordan Jefferies knocked down a couple of free throws to seal Win No. 12 for the Blazers.
John led the way with a game-high 31 points for the Blazers, including 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. Ebony Gayden finished with 19 points and six rebounds. Xhiir Burgess added a double-double with 10 points and 15 boards in 40 minutes of action.
