Brandon Lawani shooting
Stephen Largent
88
Trinity Christian TCC 3-1, 1-1
99
Winner Trinity International TIU 3-1, 1-0
Trinity Christian TCC
3-1, 1-1
88
Final
99
Trinity International TIU
3-1, 1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Trinity Christian TCC 32 56 88
Trinity International TIU 49 50 99

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Ethan Oskroba

Trojans claim CCAC opener behind offensive outburst

BANNOCKBURN, IL—Trinity is an institution of learning, so it was only fitting that the Trojan basketball team would start their conference schedule by putting on an offensive display so thrilling, diverse, and complete that it can only be described as a masterclass.

The TIU offense was firing on all cylinders on Wednesday night, as the Trojans thrilled the home crowd at Van Dixhorn Arena by putting up 99 points to emerge victorious in a fast-paced thriller against the Trolls of Trinity Christian in the CCAC opener.

The Trojans set the tone right from the opening tip, with Trojan star Brandon Lawani continuing his triumphant return from an injury-plagued 2021-22, pouring in a pair of layups to help the Trojans start the contest with an 8-0 run. The Trolls managed to reduce the TIU advantage to six before the Trojans caught fire from long range, with sharpshooter Jaden Thomas and dynamic playmaker Xavier Cooper splashing home triples on consecutive possessions to ignite the Trojan attack in earnest. With the momentum firmly on their side, the Trojans continued to pour it on, watching their lead balloon to a high watermark of 21 in a dominant opening half. Jaden Thomas and fellow reserve Diamond Presniakovas came off the bench to lead the charge in the initial frame, with each posting 10 points. Thomas did so via a pair of threes while playing just 10 minutes while Presniakovas was arguably even more efficient, going a sparkling 4-for-4 from the field to reach the figure in just 11 minutes. Led by their brilliant substitutes as well as the ever-reliable Lawani (eight points, three rebounds in the half), the Trojans carried a comfortable 49-32 advantage into the break.

The Trojans picked up where they left off at the start of the second half, continuing to stretch the margin on an impressive run that was punctuated by Lawani cramming home an emphatic jam over multiple Troll defenders. Throughout the stanza, the Trojans were again fueled by an ability to cash in on the deep ball, with TIU snipers Jack Kahoun and Jaden Thomas each drilling multiple treys as the Trojans shot 63% from beyond the arc for the half. The TIU advantage swelled all the way to 31 on one of Kahoun's long range buckets, but the solid Trojan defense started to erode in the latter stages of the contest, with the Trolls cutting the lead to single digits in the closing stages. Fortunately, the Trojans took care of business at the charity stripe to seal the deal, with Colby Cross checking in to nail all four of his late free throw tries while Kyonte Thomas, the Trojans' leading scorer entering the evening who had been quiet all night, saved his best for last by nailing a pivotal pair. Despite the late scare, the Trojans hung on, parlaying the incredible offensive showcase into a 99-88 victory.

While Coach Greg Miller and the Trojans will no doubt make a few tweaks here and there, particularly on the defensive end, the Trojan offense was dynamite all evening long. Trinity shot a remarkable 58% from the field and an even better 59% from downtown en route to hanging nearly a hundred on their conference foe. The Trojans got it done in every conceivable way, posting impressive figures in points in the paint (50), second chance points (16), and points off threes (30), while getting outstanding contributions from both the starting unit (53 points) and the bench (46). Five Trojans scored in double figures, with Jaden Thomas' 16-point effort on 6-for-8 shooting and 4-for-6 from long range and Xavier Cooper's well-rounded double-double of 11 points, 10 boards, and six dimes standing out amid the plethora of impressive statlines.

The Trojans will get another tune up before further launching into their conference schedule when they take on Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, on the night of Tuesday, November 15.

 
 

TIU Trojans

 

 

TIU Men's Basketball

 

 

 

 

Trinity International University is a comprehensive, national university affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America and located in Bannockburn, Illinois, 25 miles north of Chicago. TIU educates men and women to engage in God's redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian faithfulness, and lifelong learning.
 
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