Cooper shooting
Berith Han
74
Winner Trinity International TIU 14-12, 9-9
65
St. Ambrose SAU 4-19, 3-15
Winner
Trinity International TIU
14-12, 9-9
74
Final
65
St. Ambrose SAU
4-19, 3-15
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Trinity International TIU 30 44 74
St. Ambrose SAU 35 30 65

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Ethan Oskroba

Trojans use strong second half to recalibrate, complete season sweep of St. Ambrose

DAVENPORT, IA—The Trojans got a big lift in their postseason bid on Monday night, employing a second-half offensive barrage to pick up a key 74-65 conference win against the Fighting Bees of St. Ambrose.

Trinity wasted no time getting going despite the lengthy trek from Illinois to Iowa, as standout big man Brandon Lawani showcased his versatility by splashing home a three to open the scoring. The splashdown failed to set the tone however, as the Trojans stumbled to a double-digit deficit in short order. In the latter portion of the period, Trinity's stellar sophomore guard Kyonte Thomas took center stage, pouring in eight points to spearhead the Trojan effort and shred the Ambrose advantage down to just two before it crept back up to a five-point margin at the halftime buzzer. While Trinity was bereft of its offensive rhythm for the duration of the frame, shooting just 31% from the field, they did make the most of their opportunities at the charity stripe, getting to the line twelve times and cashing in on all but one to keep the contest close, as the Bees maintained a 35-30 lead at halftime.

As impressive as the duo of Thomas and Lawani were in the inaugural 20 minutes, the pair raised their game to new heights to close the proceedings in what proved to be a cascade of Trojan buckets for the rest of the night. Lawani again started the Trojans off on the right foot, muscling home an and-one bucket to ignite the Trinity attack. Then it was time for Diamond Presniakovas, the Trojans' leading scorer who was quietly in the midst of an impressive evening, to take over. The ever-dangerous and combustible Presniakovas poured in five points in under a minute to keep Trinity humming. Thomas was operating on another plane entirely for the rest of the contest, acting as the Caravaggio of the court as he enacted a beautiful dismantling of the opposition. Thomas banged home a transition triple to tie the ballgame with just under 10 minutes left before adding a layup seconds later. After the Bees clawed their way back in front, Thomas again shattered the hearts of the hometown faithful, draining another long-range missile and granting the Trojans a lead they would never relinquish. The Trojans continued to click offensively, seeing the contest through and claiming the victory by a 74-65 final tally.

The resuscitation of the Trojan offense was a welcome sight for the squad's followers, as Trinity had been limited to just 58 points per game throughout their season-long three-game losing streak after having averaged better than 81 points a night throughout their first 22 contests. Thomas led the way with a sensational effort, notching 23 points and three steals while playing the entire 40 minutes, while Lawani (19 points) and Presniakovas (14 points, eight rebounds) also offered major contributions to the cause.

The Trojans (14-12, 9-9 CCAC) will return to the floor for a road battle against Calumet College St. Joseph on Wednesday. They remain firmly entrenched in the seventh spot out of eight available tournament places in the CCAC standings, a game and a half above the ninth-place team, Holy Cross, who they'll face in the regular-season finale on February 18.
 
 
 

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.
 
Print Friendly Version