BASKETBALL: Tough stretch continues for Trinity in home debuts vs. George Walton

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HOMECOMING GAME: Monday’s home opener was the official debut for new Trinity head boys coach Nolan Gottlieb, who is back on the sidelines at Clyde Evans Fieldhouse for the first time since some high school playing days that concluded in the early 2000s, taking him on to stints as both a player and coach at Division II Anderson University/CLAY REYNOLDS

The Trinity Crusaders played one game each over the Thanksgiving break as they hosted George Walton Academy last Monday.

The girls fell to a loaded Lady Bulldog squad 68-46 while the boys kept it close early, but a big second half led to a 67-40 loss.

The Crusaders return to the court at home Tuesday night against Stratford.

BLUE STEAL: Lauren Williams (15) jumped a pass headed for George Walton’s Ashley Hill (10) in the corner and forced a turnover with this steal during the second half of Monday’s game/CLAY REYNOLDS

Girls

The Lady Crusaders hosted a George Walton squad that won the AAAA state title two seasons ago and were runners-up last year. The Lady Bulldogs still had plenty of firepower and it showed early against Trinity.

George Walton used full court pressure and hot shooting early to race out to a 26-9 lead after one quarter.

The Lady Crusaders found their rhythm offensively in the second, responding with 20 points of their own while just allowing 13. They trailed 39-29 at the half.

The third quarter did not go well against the Lady Bulldogs’ stifling pressure. They outscored Trinity 25-8 to build a huge lead, 64-37. George Walton called off the press in the fourth, and the Lady Crusaders made up some ground with nine more points.

Maddie- Grace Alligood led Trinity with 16 and Maddy George added 11.

GWA’s Ashley Hill led all scorers with 26. Rosemary Ferguson had 13 and Leila Mathis added 11.

Boys

The boys faced off against against a Bulldog squad that made the GIAA Final Four last season as well.

The game started out well for the Crusaders as they traded baskets with the visitors throughout the opening quarter and trailed just 11-10.

The score continued to go back-and-forth early in the second, and was 15-14 midway through. The Bulldogs got hot from outside late in the period, and closed the half on a 13-2 run to take a 28-16 lead to the break.

The hot shooting continued for the visitors to open the third as the run continued. They would outscore Trinity 21-10 in the quarter go up 49-26 after three.

Trinity scored 14 in the final eight minutes, but George Walton would get 18 more of their own to continue to pull away for the 67-40 win.

Ben Castro-Poveda led Trinity with 13 and Anthony Frank-Woji added 11.

Tiedrell Ashley led George Walton with 22 and Adrian Thomas had 18. The duo combined for nine of the Bulldogs’ 10 3-pointers in the contest.