BEREA, Ky. – The Belhaven Men's Basketball team outlasted Berea in double overtime Friday night, knocking off the Mountaineers 82-80 at the Seabury Center. With the win, Belhaven stays perfect in CCS play at 3-0 while improving to 7-5 overall.
 
Berea jumped out early to a 6-2 lead, but Belhaven quickly responded with a 16-3 run to take control in the first half. The Blazers hit six threes over the course of the first 20 minutes to take a 29-19 lead into the halftime break.
 
The Blazers extended the lead to a dozen right out of the locker room and led by 11 after a pair of Matthew McMillan free throws gave Belhaven a 49-38 lead at the 8:38 mark. The home team did not go away, rattling off a 9-0 run to get within two with just over six minutes to go.
 
Berea was able to take a two-point lead with 2:49 to go before Donovan Givens and Luke Couch connected on back-to-back threes to give the Blazers a 62-58 lead with a minute and a half remaining in the contest.
 
The Mountaineers responded by scoring the final four points of regulation to send the game to overtime. Berea took a 67-63 lead halfway through the overtime period, but Luke Couch connected on a putback for his 30th point of the game to draw within two. Berea scored a basket of their own on the other end, but McMillan knocked down his second triple of the night to cut the home team's lead to 69-68 with a minute to play.
 
The Mountaineers once again found the basket to take a three-point lead with 30 seconds left, but Jordan Marshall rattled home a game-tying three-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to take the game to another extra frame.
 
Couch got things going in the second overtime with his seventh triple of the game. Both teams traded baskets over the next few minutes, and Berea tied things up at 78 after three made free throws.
 
The Blazers scored the next four to take an 82-78 lead with a minute to play, but a Berea bucket cut the lead to just two with under 10 seconds left. After a steal, the  Mountaineers' potential game-winning three clanked off the rim, giving Belhaven the hard-fought 82-80 double-overtime win.
 
Couch poured in a career night for the Blazers, scoring 35 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and recording six assists. The junior guard knocked down a career-high seven threes to power the Blazers to a win.
 
Jordan Marshall finished the night with 11 points to go along with five boards. Matthew McMillan joined the two other Blazers in double-figures, finishing with 10 points.
 
Belhaven faces a quick turnaround with CCS preseason favorite Maryville on deck tomorrow afternoon in Tennessee. Tipoff between the Blazers and Scots is set for 4 PM.
 
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