NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 19th-ranked Christopher Newport Captains improved to 7-1 overall this season with a win over Heidelberg University (5-6) on Friday evening, posting a 65-53 victory on the opening day of the 2012 Holiday Inn Captains Shootout. Sophomore Mike Cherry led the way with 23 points, while rookie D.J. Roberson came off the bench with a terrific performance. 

CNU will now advance to play for the tournament title against Bridgewater College (7-3) at 6:00 pm on Saturday, immediately following the consolation matchup between Heidelberg and Houghton College (0-7) at 4:00 pm.

Roberson posted the best performance of the young start to his career, with season-highs of 19 minutes, seven points, six rebounds, two steals and a block. He helped control the Captains surging offense in the second half and led an impressive defensive performance that saw CNU hold Heidelberg to just 32.7% shooting (18-55).

The Student Princes held a one-point lead at the half after a defensive struggled in the opening 20 minutes saw both teams hit less than 31% from the field. Despite going just 7-of-25 from the field (28%), an impressive first half from reserve guard Mike Petrie helped lead Heidelberg to a 23-22 lead. Petrie knocked down 4-of-8 shots, including three from long-range, to lead all scorers with 11 points. 

CNU opened the game with a surge, taking a seven-point lead, 17-10, with 9:05 remaining in the half. The Captains would only hit one more field goal in the opening stanza, as Heidelberg closed on a 13-5 run. 

The Captains reversed their fortune right out of the locker room, scoring six straight to re-take the lead for good. Junior Tra Benefield led a 12-3 burst that would see CNU pull ahead by nine, 35-26, punctuating the run with a huge dunk on a feed from Nik Biberaj down low. 

Heidelberg clawed back within one on a pair of free-throws by Doug Waldmannstetter with 9:49 remaining, but could not close the gap completely as CNU responded again. Cherry would score six straight points, followed by a big three-point play from rookie Evan Thorpe with 6:48 showing. Thorpe made an acrobatic play and hit the ensuing free throw to put CNU back up nine, 48-39. A layup by senior Paul Meredith on the next possession gave the Captains their first double digit lead, and the team would not look back. 

The lead would build to as many as 17 after back-to-back three-pointers from Cherry and Biberaj, with 3:26 remaining. CNU held on for the 12-point win down the stretch, finishing out the half shooting 50% from the field on 15-of-30 shooting. 

Cherry finished with 23 points on 8-of-12 from the floor, including four trey's and four rebounds. Benefield and Biberaj also finished in double figures, with 12 and 10 respectively, while Biberaj added seven rebounds and three assists. Thorpe had six points, six rebounds and added three assists and two steals. 

Heidelberg was led by Petrie, who scored 16 points with four three-pointers made, while senior Nate Davis added eight points, a game-high 10 rebounds and four blocked shots. Dane Givener and Jackson Blue each added 11 points for the Student Princes.  

Day two of the 16th Annual Holiday Inn Captains Shootout is set for 4:00 and 6:00 pm on Saturday, with CNU slated for the late game. Live stats and live video will be available for both games.