SHREVEPORT, La. - The Gents used an 18-2 run in the second half to take the lead for good and wrap up a spot in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament as Centenary (11-13, 5-8 SCAC) knocked off Trinity (11-12, 6-6 SCAC) 87-81 Saturday night, February 11.
Trailing 53-47 with 14:27 left to play, the Gents scored 12 unanswered points in a three-minute span to take the lead for good. Senior James Sapp made a jumper a junior Travion Kirkendoll made a monstrous dunk for an offensive put back. Sapp then stole the ball and made the fastbreak dunk to tie the game.
After quickly tying the game, the Gents made a pair of stops that led to a pair of triples from junior Dyllon Weaver. Matt Jones tried to stop the run when he split from the line for the Tigers, but Sapp hit a trey. Isaiah Specks split from the line for the Tigers, but Kirkendoll pushed the lead to double-digits with the fourth-straight three by the Gents.
Sapp made 11-for-17 from the field to finish with 28 points and 14 boards. Kirkendoll hit 6-of-12 from the field and 5-of-6 from the line for 21 points.
Both teams shot 16-for-32 from the field (50 percent) in the first half, but Centenary edged Trinity in shooting in the second half for the win. In another example of how close both teams were, Centenary made one more field goal (30-29) while both teams committed 21 fouls.
Trinity cut the lead to 74-70 with 2:43 left, but Sapp connected on a tip-in while being fouled. He made the free throw to grow the lead to seven. Another offensive board and putback while being fouled by Sapp grew the lead to nine, but he missed the ensuing foul shot.
Trinity led by as much as eight in the first half and had a 26-20 advantage when an 8-2 run by the Gents tied the game. Sapp hit a three, and Matt Jones answered with a jumper for the visitors. Freshman Hayden Clason tripled and a layup from junior KJ Boyd tied the game.
For the next few minutes, neither team led by more than two until Trinity found itself with a four-point lead with seconds left in the first half. Sophomore Treylan Matthews missed a three and Trinity's Danny Rivera grabbed the defensive rebound. However, he threw the ball right back to Matthews, who hit the off-balance shot right at the buzzer for halftime.
Matthews finished the game with 13 points.
A 9-1 run in the early minutes in the second half turned a two-point deficit into a six-point lead for the visitors. Down 44-42, Aaron Knopp hit a fastbreak layup while being fouled. He made the foul shot to put Trinity back on top. Freshman Cedric Harris split from the line to tie the game, but a Rivara tip-in put Trinity on top.
An old-fashioned three and a split from the line by Jayden Holden put Trinity up 51-45 with 15:28 left.
Rivara paced Trinity with 18 points and 12 boards. Jones added 17 points and eight assists, while Holden contributed 16 points.
Centenary wraps up regular season play and celebrates senior day next Saturday night against Austin College. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m.
