Men’s Basketball: A Dominant Upset In Quarterfinals To A Nail-Biting Loss In Semifinals  

Lily Ives ‘23  

Sports Editor  

The Trinity men’s basketball team took the NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference) by storm on Sunday, Feb. 20. Coming into the NESCAC tournament as the number seven seed, the Bantams faced the number two-seeded Tufts Jumbos in the quarterfinal game.

The Bantams paid no attention to the rankings, as they dismantled and dominated the game, delivering a stunning upset win against Tufts, 90-76. Sophomore Ben Callahan-Gold led the offense for the Bantams in this electrifying win with 20 clutch points, while four other Bantams turned in double-digit scoring efforts. While the Tufts team claimed the first half of the contest with a close score of 44-40 heading into halftime, nothing could have prepared these Jumbos for the fire that the Bantams ignited in the second half, where Trinity outscored the Jumbos 50-32.   

Following this tremendous Bantam win, the Trinity men’s basketball team now found themselves set to match up against the top-seeded Wesleyan Cardinals in the semifinal game of the NESCAC tournament. The Bantams came into this game fueled by six consecutive wins, and most notably by their powerful quarterfinal upset win against the Jumbos. Trinity first-year guard Will Dorian and sophomore forward Ben Callahan-Gold led the Bantam offense by both sinking 14 points in the contest. Though Trinity outscored the top-ranked Cardinals in the second half, 30-28, the Bantams fell short in the end by just three points, 70-67.  

Trinity ended the season with an impressive winning record of 16-9. Bantam senior Donald Jorden Jr. was awarded the postseason honor of making the NESCAC All-Conference Second Team, after a sensational and dominant season helping to lead the Trinity men on the court. Jorden led the Bantam offense in scoring with an average of 14.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. Jorden’s most electric game came against the Connecticut College Camels, where he netted 27 points in a stand-out performance.  

The men’s team caught fire in the home stretch of the season, beating top-seeded teams, rattling off an impressive winning streak, and becoming a feared and dangerous opponent for any other NESCAC team to have to face. Now, filled with young talent and proven excellence, the Bantams look to next season with confidence for great things to come.  

While the both the men’s and women’s basketball teams didn’t finish the season with the last wins they worked and hoped for, they did both distinguish themselves as top contenders in one of the most highly competitive leagues in the nation. There is no denying that both teams now carry dangerous reputations for their accomplishments and the road ahead.