Point Lookout, M.O. – For the first time in program history, the #3 Lancaster Bible College Chargers are NCCAA Division I Men’s Basketball National Champions, defeating #4 Columbia International University 82-75 on Saturday, March 21. 
 
Camden Hurst from Lancaster Bible College was named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. For a full list of award winners, click here.
 
National Championship: #3 Lancaster Bible College 82, #4 Columbia International University 75

• The contest was a defensive slugfest early, with Jeffrey Clark II answering a make from Landon Zeiset, and a Reaves Hooks layup from Lancaster Bible was responded on the other end thanks to a three-ball from Will Kelly to tie the contest 10-10 with 14:02 left in the first half. The strong defense continued, with Camden Hurst and Clark II blocking each other’s shots, before a Hurst jumper put the Chargers up 15-12 halfway through the opening frame.
• The offense started surging for the Chargers, as Jacob Lewis converted an and-one opportunity, and a make from deep by Hooks put Lancaster Bible on top 24-12. Bennett Bowers nailed a triple for LBC but makes from JJ Vaughan and Johnny Whysong cut the Lancaster Bible lead to single digits. Hooks continued to shine for the Chargers, nailing a three before the break to put Lancaster Bible College on top 37-27 at halftime.
• Columbia International responded out of the locker room, as and-one conversions for James Davis and Whysong cut the lead to single digits, but a jumper from Lewis put LBC back ahead 47-37 with 15:09 remaining. Scores from Kelly and Vaughan got the Rams back into the game, and an and-one connection from Rhett Warga cut the Lancaster Bible advantage to just 55-49 halfway through the second half.
• CIU continued to battle, as Connor Higgins picked up a putback to cut the lead to two, but LBC responded with a jumper from Hurst and another Hooks make from deep to go back ahead 62-55 with 8:10 remaining. The two sides traded buckets for a bit, before a Kelly make from three cut the Lancaster Bible College lead to 69-67 with 3:07 remaining. Hurst again came up big for the Chargers with an and-one connection, and after a triple from Vaughan cut the LBC lead to three, a full court pass from Tyshaun Pulley found Mark Heidebrecht on the other end, icing the game for the Chargers with an 82-75 victory. 
• Hurst led the Chargers with 27 points while also hauling down five rebounds, dishing out five assists, and had one steal and one block. Hooks added 15 points off the bench while also pulling down six rebounds.
• This is Lancaster Bible College’s second NCCAA national championship in any sport and first at the Division I level, as their last title was in 2015 for Division II Men’s Basketball. 

Third-Place Game: #8 College of the Ozarks 90, #7 Nelson American Indian College 79
 
Garrett Snyder exploded for 29 points as #8 College of the Ozarks took home third place, defeating #7 Nelson American Indian College 90-79.

• The two squads traded the lead early, but a three-ball from Garrett Snyder and a jumper from Brady Reynolds put College of the Ozarks ahead 13-8. Nelson AIC answered with earnest, as scores from Jermaine Earnest and Orlando Gonzales made it a two-point game, but a block from Themba Tshuma led to another layup for Snyder, and the Bobcats went ahead 22-16 with 12:10 left in the opening frame.
• Gonzales got going for the Warriors, nailing a pair of jumpers to tie the contest 25-25, but CofO went on a 16-6 run, sparked by threes from Andrew Dalton and Reynolds, and another Snyder make swelled the Bobcat lead to 43-31. Jay Baxter added another make from deep, and a spinning layup and a make from downtown Branson by DJ Quarles put the ‘Cats on top 53-35 at the break.
• The Warriors came out of the locker room flying, as buckets from Zoe Holman and Wyatt MacKay cut the CofO advantage to 12, but three-balls from Baxter and Quarles put the Bobcats back ahead 65-49 with 13:24 left in the game. Nelson AIC responded with a run of their own, as Holman scored six straight buckets and two straight makes from deep by Gonzales and Nathan Bradley cut the CofO lead to 67-61 with 9:29 left in the contest.
• Free throws from Earnest and Gonzales cut the lead to three for the ‘Cats, but back-to-back threes from Snyder and a driving layup for the Hollister, Missouri native pushed College of the Ozarks ahead 82-73, and six straight makes from the free throw line ended the game in favor of the host Bobcats, as College of the Ozarks clinched third place with the 90-79 win.
• Snyder finished with 29 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal, while his teammate Baxter sniffed a triple-double, scoring 12 points while hauling down eight rebounds and handing out six assists.
• College of the Ozarks head men’s basketball coach Steve Shepherd closes out his career as coach of the Bobcats, ending his 24-year college coaching career with over 400 wins, two NCCAA DI All-Americans, a 2006 NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship, and three NCCAA National Championship appearances. 

About the NCCAA
Established in 1968, the National Christian College Athletic Association uses intercollegiate athletics to further the Great Commission and is committed to equipping student-athletes and coaches to make a positive impact for Christ. The NCCAA currently holds 23 national championship events, along with one national invitational for 88 member schools across 28 states and two Canadian provinces. For more information on the NCCAA, visit our website, thenccaa.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram at @thenccaa.