Valentine’s weekend was special not only to lovers everywhere, but also for Trinity’s men’s basketball team — ranked no. 24 in the nation among Division III men’s basketball teams — as they won 80-59 against Texas Lutheran University on Feb. 14 and scored a 94-63 win against Southwestern University on the following day.
Coming off two wins from the weekend, Trinity has increased their winning streak to an incredible 14 games of the season. According to some fans, part of the team’s success at home is due to students and fans consistently coming out to support the their team.
“Really, really interesting with lots of energy, and we are the ones providing it,” first-year fan Jamel Nickerson said.
The volume and amount of chants heard throughout the entire William H. Bell Center during games certainly supports Nickerson’s perspective. Whether it was to support the defense, call out the shot clock or just celebrating a basket, the Trinity crowd was full of energy and life.
Despite star player Christian Green dealing with an injury and missing multiple games, Trinity dominated Texas Lutheran in every aspect, from defense to rebounding. In Saturday’s game, five Trinity players were in double-digit point totals with almost all of them securing at least five rebounds.
To add on to this very special weekend for Trinity, senior Henry Thompson received a standing ovation from the crowd when he checked into his very first Trinity basketball game. Thompson, Trinity’s student manager, stepped onto the floor on Friday to record his first minutes for the team. Every time Thompson would get the ball the crowd would make noise and cheer for him.
Thompson’s first basket was recorded the day after on a fadeaway jump shot to put himself on the box score.
“The student section was packed, and of course the team leading by 30-plus points and me getting it going,” Thompson said. “I had never played organized basketball, so it was pretty fun for me. I like to say I facilitate if they travel I help them with equipment, school, media papers and then at home I help them with practices and stuff like that.”
With senior night’s blowout win over Texas Lutheran, the team had some extra motivation in their back pocket with a new player and letting their manager show off his skills.
“We kind of had motivation to put Henry in the game, and by the way he does way more for us than what he said,” star senior guard Jacob Harvey said. “From the person he is and the attitude he brings every day, when we are traveling, helping us with stuff, off the court hanging out, he definitely does more than what he just told y’all. But we really appreciate Henry and that comes from a place of love, we all love Henry and we wanted him to be on the court.”
Trinity men’s basketball takes on rival and no. 25 ranked St. Thomas next on Friday, Feb. 21 to kick off a road trip before the SCAC Tournament.
