SAN ANTONIO – The Trinity University men's basketball team began its Southern Athletic Association weekend with a 102-74 win over Oglethorpe University (GA) on Friday night in Calgaard Gymnasium.
The Tigers (10-3, 2-0 SAA) trailed early against the Stormy Petrels (4-9, 1-1 SAA) but took the lead for good less than four minutes into the game. Trinity had a 10-point (18-8) lead in second-chance points and absolutely dominated in the paint, outscoring Oglethorpe 56-18 in the area. The Tigers shot better than 52% from the field overall and held the Petrels to just 35% shooting on the night. Trinity was +12 in rebounding in the game and forced 13 turnovers defensively.
Ben Estis (Southlake, Texas / Carroll) led the way for the Tigers with a career-high 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and 7-of-8 at the free throw line, while also tying for the team lead with four assists.
Will Bronson (Dallas, Texas / Jesuit) turned in another double-double, pairing 16 points with 10 rebounds.
Jackson Lawson (Southlake, Texas / Carroll) matched Bronson with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting that included 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, while also grabbing six boards.
Dean Balo (Dallas, Texas / JJ Pearce) rounded out Trinity's double-digit scorers, finishing with 14 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists.
Zach Fenn (Covington, La. / Saint Paul's) nearly made it all five starters in double figures, scoring nine points along with six rebounds, three assists, and a game-leading five steals.
Joshua Chesney (Corpus Christi, Texas / London) chipped in with eight points to lead Trinity's bench scoring, with
Gabe Parr (Austin, Texas / Westwood) adding seven points and five rebounds in 10 minutes.
The Rundown
The teams traded shots to start the game, beginning with a pair of three-pointers in the opening minute. The Petrels held a minimal 8-7 lead when Fenn connected on a go-ahead three-pointer with just over 16 minutes left in the first period, which was a lead the Tigers would not relinquish the rest of the way. After Balo knocked down a pair of free throws, Oglethorpe scored the next three to pull within a point. Chesney hit back-to-back shots to keep Trinity ahead, but the visitors knocked down a long-range shot to make it a 16-14 game with under 12 minutes to go. The Tigers answered by scoring 10 of the next 13 points over a span of nearly five minutes to take a 26-17 lead. Parr and Bronson scored four points each during the run. Lawson answered an Oglethorpe score with a three-pointer that gave Trinity its first double-digit lead at 29-19, but the Petrels battled back to make it a 30-25 game with 3:46 left in the half. The Tigers finished the period strong, though, beginning with back-to-back three-pointers from Balo and Estis, followed by back-to-back steals by Fenn that led to two more scores and made it a 40-25 game with 1:38 to go. The lead was as high as 16 after another Lawson three in the final minute, but Oglethorpe had the final points on a pair of foul shots to make it a 45-31 game at the half.
Fenn and Estis scored two field goals to push the lead to 18 less than two minutes into the second period. After a little more than five minutes that lead was 21 points at 61-40, and that margin held just past the midway point of the half. Oglethorpe scored seven straight points in just over a minute to cut the lead to 14 points with under nine minutes remaining, then after Trinity pushed the lead back to 18 with four consecutive free throws, the Petrels scored seven more in a row to make it a 74-63 game with 7:16 left. The Tigers stopped the run there, though, as Lawson converted an and-one three-point play, then Bronson threw down a dunk to push the lead back to 16 (80-64) less than a minute later. Oglethorpe made one final push around the three-minute mark with five unanswered points to pull within 14, but that was as close as the Petrels got. Trinity finished the game with 14 straight points over the final 2:57 to double the lead and close out the win at 102-74.
Up Next
The Tigers will complete their SAA weekend at home by hosting Berry College (GA) on Sunday, January 11, at 2:00 p.m.
