IRVING, Texas – Trinity University Men's Basketball fell in the 2025 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship to the University of St. Thomas, 58-53, at the Maher Athletic Center on Sunday afternoon. 

The Tigers (22-5) fought through a defensive battle against the Celts (25-2), erasing multiple deficits before ultimately falling short in overtime. Trinity held a brief lead in the extra period, but a late surge from St. Thomas sealed the title.

Trinity finished the game shooting 34.5 percent from the field and 16.7 percent from three-point range, compared to St. Thomas' 40.0 percent and 23.5 percent, respectively. The Tigers held a 43-34 rebounding advantage but struggled with turnovers, committing 21 to the Celts' 17.

Christian Green (San Antonio, Texas / Veterans Memorial) led the Tigers in scoring with 15 points, shooting an efficient 6-for-10 from the field while adding eight rebounds. Dean Balo (Dallas, Texas / JJ Pearce) followed with 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Ty Williams (Pearland, Texas / Pearland) added 11 points and six rebounds. From the bench, sophomore Zach Fenn (Covington, La. / Saint Paul's) provided a spark with four points and a steal, while senior Carter Ruck (Southlake, Texas / Carroll) contributed three points and a key defensive play late in regulation
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Balo and Green were named to the SCAC Championship All-Tournament Team for their efforts throughout the weekend.

The Rundown 
Sunday's championship game was a tense, low-scoring affair where both teams battled for control. The Celts took an early lead, outscoring the Tigers 19-16 in the first half, fueled by strong defensive pressure and second-chance opportunities.

Trinity found offensive rhythm in the second half, shooting 47.4 percent from the field. Green and Balo led the charge, with Williams adding key buckets to push the Tigers ahead momentarily. Down by eight with less than five minutes to play, Trinity turned up the defensive pressure. A pair of steals from Harvey and Fenn facilitated two face break layups from the latter, tying the game at 43-43 with less than two to go.

Dean Balo drew a foul with 40 seconds on the clock, knocking down both shots to bring the game level again. The Tigers continued to play hard on defense with a clutch rebound from Braxton Barry (Houston, Texas / Westbury Christian) giving them a chance to win the game in regulation. Defense was once again the tale of the game, with St Thomas denying Trinity a clear shot at a game winner and forcing overtime. 

Overtime saw back-and-forth action, with Trinity taking a brief 50-48 lead following a deep three from Balo. However, St. Thomas responded with a crucial 10-3 run, capped by Angel Johnson's late free throws to ice the game, giving UST the 58-53 win. 

Up Next 
The Tigers will await their fate in tomorrow's NCAA Tournament selection show.