HOUSTON, TX – UST men's basketball team battled through a defensive showdown Friday night, defeating Belhaven 69–63 in overtime in the opening round of the NCAA Division III National Tournament at the Jerabeck Activity and Athletic Center. With the win, the Celts improve to 26–1 on the season and advance to the Round 2 of National Tournament, surviving a physical contest that featured relentless defense and momentum swings throughout the night.
St. Thomas set the tone early as Reyce Allen opened the scoring with a layup to give the Celts a 2–0 lead. Both teams established their defensive presence early, forcing contested shots and turnovers through the opening minutes. Corey Thompson added an early jumper to keep UST within striking distance, but Belhaven responded with a pair of three-pointers to take an 8–4 lead midway through the half. Belhaven continued to build momentum and stretched its lead to 16–8, but the Celts responded behind their physical play inside. Nicholas Buffalo sparked a run with a tip-in and later threw down a powerful dunk to trim the deficit to 24–21. Allen and Nathan Kongolo added key free throws during a late surge, while Buffalo finished a fast-break layup to give St. Thomas a brief 31–30 lead with just under two minutes remaining in the half. Belhaven answered with a late basket to take a narrow 32–31 lead into halftime.
The second half remained tightly contested as Charles Gitonga gave the Celts an early 33–32 advantage with a layup inside. Both teams traded baskets throughout the period, with Gitonga throwing down a dunk to tie the game at 38–38. Belhaven answered with a small run to move ahead 47–42, but St. Thomas responded once again. Buffalo energized the Celts midway through the half with back-to-back layups, including a fast-break finish that cut the deficit to 47–46. Moments later, Brennan Webb knocked down a three-pointer to give UST a 50–49 lead. Corey Thompson followed with a strong finish through contact and a free throw to push the advantage to 53–51 as the Celts looked to pull away. Belhaven refused to fold, however, and continued to battle defensively. With under a minute to play, the Blazers tied the game at 58–58 on a jumper, forcing overtime after both teams came up empty on their final possessions of regulation.
In overtime, St. Thomas seized momentum early. Kongolo opened the extra period with a jumper to give the Celts a 60–58 lead before assisting Thompson on a clutch three-pointer that extended the advantage to 63–58. UST's defense held strong down the stretch, controlling the boards and forcing difficult shots.
Allen delivered the exclamation point in the final seconds with an electrifying dunk to push the lead to 67–60, and Thompson added two free throws moments later to secure the 69–63 victory as the Celts advance in the NCAA Tournament.
Allen led the Celts with 16 points, adding five rebounds while attacking the basket throughout the night. Thompson contributed 15 points and seven rebounds, including a critical three-pointer in overtime and key free throws late in the game. Kongolo delivered an all-around performance with 13 points, five rebounds, and four steals, playing a major role in the Celts' defensive pressure and late-game execution. Buffalo provided a strong spark off the bench, finishing with 15 points on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds.
Up Next
With the victory, St. Thomas advances to the NCAA Round of 32, where the Celts will face a familiar opponent in Trinity. UST currently holds a 13–2 all-time record against the Tigers and defeated Trinity earlier this season at the JAAC. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Jerabeck Activity and Athletic Center as the Celts continue their NCAA Tournament run.
