GARFIELD HEIGHTS—Trinity used an early 12-0 run that led to a 59-24 rout of visiting Fairview on Tuesday.
With the win, the Trojans improved to 2-0 in the Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division.
“Our persistence (was key),” said Trinity head coach Ron Donaldson, Jr. “We work on it every day with a 3-on-2, 2-on-1 drill for our transition defense because that’s where a lot of our opportunities are going to come from. We still have room to grow.”
Jaynia Campbell’s 3-pointer and Neveah Harrison’s six transition points ignited Trinity’s 12-0 run.
Isabella Dorsey connected on a 3-pointer, and Iniya Charlton also came away with a steal-and-score transition basket for a 17-8 lead after one.
Nilah Thornton scored five points in the second quarter, and Kendall Hughes drilled a pair of 3-pointers, giving the team a 13-2 advantage in the frame and a 30-10 lead at the break.
The persistence continued in the third quarter with six more Thornton points, four more from Harrison, and Dorsey’s second 3-pointer, which led to a 45-14 lead heading into the fourth.
Fairview found some success in the fourth quarter as Ryane Kerrigan and Alexa Manos hit 3-pointers and Ivay Budzar contributed with four points in the frame, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Trinity’s big lead.
Trinity’s Kanora Bryant scored six off the bench in the fourth quarter, helping the Trojans close out the dominant win.
Trinity played lock-down defense and that pressure made life hard for the Fairview offense.
“It was hard,” Kerrigan said. “We had to make adjustments, and it has been something that we’re working on. I think we’re getting there, and it’s just a step to growth.”
That defensive style has been the bread and butter for Trinity, helping ignite its offense in transition.
“That’s who we are,” Donaldson said. “We apply a lot of ball pressure, we’re intense, and we’ll (guard you) full court. We have a lot of depth, so we can sub in and out to stay fresh. The main thing is just applying pressure and turning our defense into offense.”
The depth helps in the full-court press and on the stat sheet, with 12 players scoring, two of whom scored in double digits.
“I told them everything is about the big picture,” Donaldson said. “When we get a lead on teams, we still have to do things the right way. We have to share the ball because everyone’s in practice competing for playing time, and when a few people have it going, we just have to make sure their teammates get a touch so they can feel good, too. I want everyone to feel good about the win. I’m proud of how they share the ball and maintain it. Our bench is probably starters on another team, and we’re fortunate to have a lot of depth.”
The Trojans are off to a 3-1 start overall with a 2-0 mark in conference play, and they are focused on winning the CVC championship.
“A win is a win; we just have to keep stacking them,” Donaldson said. “We fell short last year in the CVC championship, and that’s where our focus is right now. We just can’t get caught up in the press clippings and what the parents put into our heads. We have to stay according to plan.”
Thornton led all scorers with 13 points, Harrison pitched in with 12, and Hughes, Dorset, and Bryant finished with six.
Fairview dropped to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in league play.
Kerrigan led the Warriors with 10 points and Budzar pitched in with eight.
Trinity hosts Beachwood on December 19, while Fairview hosts Brooklyn on December 20.
