IRVING, Texas – The Tiger men's basketball team secured a 67-50 victory over Colorado College in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Semifinals on Saturday night, earning a spot in tomorrow's SCAC Tournament Championship game.
Trinity improved to 22-4 with the win, while Colorado College fell to 14-13 this season. The Tigers swept the regular season series against the Tigers of Colorado College and continued their dominance in the postseason with tonight's decisive victory.
The Tigers dominated defensively, forcing 19 turnovers and converting them into a 30-14 edge in points off turnovers. Trinity also controlled the glass with a 51-25 rebounding advantage, including 21 offensive rebounds that led to 12 second-chance points. Offensively, Trinity shot 35.6% from the field (21-of-59) and 33.3% from three-point range (6-of-18), while converting 70.4% (19-of-27) of their free throws. Colorado College struggled from deep, shooting just 26.3% (5-of-19) from beyond the arc and 38.0% overall from the field (19-of-50). Trinity's aggressive defense led to 19 forced turnovers, which helped them outscore Colorado College 30-14 in points off turnovers and 24-14 in fast-break points. The Tigers also showcased their ability to control the paint, outscoring their opponents 28-18 in the key while maintaining their defensive intensity throughout the game.
Jacob Harvey (Huffman, Texas / Hargrave) led Trinity with 15 points, knocking down four three-pointers while also grabbing four steals.
Christian Green (San Antonio, Texas / Veterans Memorial) matched Harvey with 15 points and nearly posted a double-double with nine rebounds.
Dean Balo (Dallas, Texas / JJ Pearce) rounded out Trinity's double-figure scorers with 13 points, bolstered by a perfect 8-of-8 performance at the free throw line.
Braxton Barry (Houston, Texas / Westbury Christian) made a significant impact on the boards, securing a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Rundown
The game started slow on an offensive front for both teams, with buckets from Balo and
Ty Williams (Katy, Texas / Seven Lakes) giving Trinity just a 4-0 lead after five minutes of basketball. Colorado College briefly responded to cut the lead to 9-8, but a three-pointer from Harvey sparked a 12-4 run that saw Trinity take control of the first half.
The Tigers defensive pressure kept them on top throughout the first, forcing a turnover with less than ten seconds on the clock which lead to a buzzer beating three from
Jacob Millhouse (Plano, Texas / Independence), putting them up by 12. Green and Barry asserted their presence inside, combining for 11 rebounds in the first half alone as Trinity carried a 31-19 lead into the break.
Coming out of halftime, Trinity quickly extended its lead as Barry converted a second-chance layup and Harvey drained another three-pointer to make it 40-21. Colorado College made a brief push, cutting the deficit to 11 at 47-36, but Trinity responded with a run of its own, led by Balo at the free throw line and Green finishing in the paint.
With under five minutes to play, Trinity regained a comfortable lead at 62-43 on a deep three from Balo, effectively sealing the win.
Zach Austin (Clarkson, Mich / Clarkson) provided the exclamation point with a late fast break layup, ensuring the Tigers advanced to the SCAC title game.
Up Next
Trinity will face St Thomas (TX.) in the SCAC Championship game at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, where they will look to capture their first SCAC title in over a decade.
