NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport won its fifth straight game Saturday, posting a 54-44 triumph over Johns Hopkins in the Championship of the Crowne Plaza Captains Shootout at the Freeman Center. CNU's stellar defense held the Blue Jays to just 14 second-half points, and captured the 21st annual holiday tournament for the 15th time.

Senior Aaron McFarland was named the MVP of the two-day tournament, and sophomore Luther Gibbs was selected to the All-Tournament squad. The Captains, who were led in scoring by senior Marcus Carter's 13 points, improved to 9-2 on the year. The game marked the final non-conference action of the season for the Captains, who have 14 Capital Athletic Conference games remaining on the schedule in 2018. 

"We knew Johns Hopkins would give us a battle, and they really did," Head Coach John Krikorian said. "They've got a great coach and defend well and really got after us. I give my guys a lot of credit...we just kept playing hard and defending and good things happened."

The lead changed hands ten times in the game, eight times in the opening half. The Captains held a 31-30 advantage at the intermission, and the second half opened with a scoreless first three minutes. Johns Hopkins, now 8-2, went ahead for the final time early in the second stanza, 32-31, before the Captains jumped back ahead to stay. CNU opened the lead to eight, 47-39, before the Blue Jays scored five straight points to cut the advantage to three, 47-44. From there, Christopher Newport posted the game's final seven points for the 54-44 verdict.

The Captains stifling defense held Johns Hopkins to just 30.8 percent shooting for the game (16 of 52) and also held the Jays to just six of 23 (26 percent) from behind the three-point line. The Blue Jays had been shooting almost 50 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range in their first nine games.

Senior Spencer Marin also reached double digits for CNU, scoring ten points. McFarland, who had netted 25 points on Friday in Christopher Newport's victory over Shenandoah, scored just five points in the title game but led the Captains in rebounding with nine. Gibbs came off the bench to score six points for CNU but also added five rebounds, four blocks, two assists and a steal to put him on the all-tournament squad.

CNU out-rebounded the Blue Jays, 42-31, and the Captains have now out-rebounded ten of their first 11 opponents this season. Shenandoah became the first team to win the battle of the boards with the Captains in Friday's first round, a 74-71 CNU victory.

Junior Daniel Vila led the Blue Jays with 11 points. Junior Michael Gardner, who scored 30 points in Johns Hopkins' win over New Jersey City on Friday, was named to the All-Tournament team despite being held to two points by the Captains. Gardner made just one of nine shots after sinking ten of 20 shots in the opening-round victory.

Also named to the All-Tournament squad were Kwa McDonald of Shenandoah and Yuri Brutus of New Jersey City. The Gothic Knights defeated the Hornets in the third-place game earlier Saturday at the Freeman Center, 68-55. New Jersey City is now 10-1 while Shenandoah fell to 6-5. 

The meeting was the first ever between the Captains and Johns Hopkins. CNU, already 3-1 in the CAC to go with the 9-2 overall mark, opens the New Year on Wednesday night at home against Penn State-Harrisburg (5-6, 1-3). Game time for the CAC contest at the Freeman Center is set for 7:30 p.m.