Approximately 270 miles separate Springfield, Tenn., from the burgeoning Atlanta suburb of Cumming, Ga., home to the Horizon Christian Academy Warriors.

Safe to say that after Horizon’s girls and boys basketball teams came to Springfield and swept the recent Tropical Smoothie Middle Tennessee Classic Basketball Tournament, hosted by South Haven Christian School, the four-hour bus ride home was a joyous one indeed.

The Warriors were one of eight teams -- representing Tennessee, Illinois, Georgia and North Carolina – to participate in the three-day event. The 27th edition of the tournament brought together young Christian athletes who showcased their talents to the delight of encouraging teammates, coaches and fans.

“The main goal of the tournament is to bring together like-minded Christian schools and give them an opportunity to compete against teams from across the country that they wouldn’t play normally,” says Morgan Daufen, Athletic Director at South Haven Christian School. “It also give them a chance to come see South Haven and what our school is all about – training our younger generation to build their love of Christ.”

In addition to South Haven and Horizon Christian, the other schools participating in the tournament included Tennessee schools Franklin Road Christian of Murfreesboro, Hendersonville Christian Academy, and Temple Academy near Knoxville; Berean Baptist Christian in Rockford, Ill.; Old Suwanee Christian in Buford, Ga.; and Tabernacle Christian in Hickory, N.C.

Both the girls’ and boys’ championship games pitted Horizon Christian against Franklin Road Christian, with each contest keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats.

Tournament Most Valuable Player Nyla Black, a sophomore, poured in a team-high 20 points to lead Horizon to a 54-46 win over the Minutemen in a highly entertaining girls’ title game. Teammates Shaley Wright and Alyssa Davidson contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively, to aid the Warriors’ cause.

“It feels amazing,” said Nyla of the first-place finish and her individual accomplishment. “But I wouldn’t be here without my teammates. We’re always encouraging each other to give our best.”

Horizon prevailed 56-49 over Franklin Road in the boys’ championship as four Warriors scored in double figures, led by tournament MVP Jacob Salvador’s 17-point effort. Landon Salvador added 14 points, Hunter Beenken 12 and Peyton Rice 11 to buoy a balanced attack that allowed Horizon to capture the title for a second straight year.

“Everyone on this team is an MVP,” Jacob, a senior, said. “We’ve worked so hard together. We were able to stay composed and disciplined to come out with the win.”

Head Coach Garvo Lanete echoed Jacob’s sentiments that hard work and discipline are key components of his Warriors players. And he pointed to the Middle Tennessee Classic as a tournament the team looks forward to each year.

“We love coming to South Haven,” said Garvo, who is in his second season at the helm. “They do a really good job of organizing this event, and there are a lot of good teams who come here. We’re grateful for their invitation and can’t wait to come back.”