TBC Eagles Men's Basketball built a huge first-half lead and needed that margin to stop a massive comeback effort, and the Eagles held on for the win over South Region rival Suns from Johnson University of Florida. Clutch defense and free-throw shooting down the stretch were crucial, and TBC won the game 76-71.

Ian Kanady (1) and DJ Thompson (2) sank the foul shots to solidify a two-possession game in the final 26 seconds after Johnson used a 57-point second half to nearly erase a 26-point halftime deficit. Zach Kiadii and Diego Fernandez also hit free throws in the 42 seconds beforehand to help the Eagles hold their lead.

Thompson and Brandon Hill scored the first two baskets of the game, and the Eagles never trailed. After Johnson made the score 6-4 with 14:42 remaining, TBC finished the half with a 36-8 surge. During that run, Fernandez scored 11 of his game-leading 22 points, including a pair of three-pointers, and Gavin Korth-Loder scored all 7 of his points.

Six more Eagles contributed points in the big first half, including Jace Spinelli (5), who would figure defensively late in the second half. Trinity led 40-14 at the break.

The big deficit did not phase the Suns. They scored the first eight points of the second half before Brandon Hill broke the run with a jump shot. Thompson followed with three successful foul shots, and the lead was back to 23 and eventually 25 at 51-25 with 13:33 left to play.

However, the Suns gradually cut into the deficit and got down to single digits when Dewey Shannon sank two free throws and a layup and Fernando Garrido hit a layup to make the margin 9 with 5:53 left.

The teams traded baskets until Hill converted a three-point play with a layup and a foul shot to make the lead 10 again with 4:05 remaining. Later, Garrido's three-pointer made the score 73-69 with 30 seconds left before Kanady and Thompson went to the line. During this stretch, Spinelli and the defense kept the Suns from easy layups and made the opposition use up the shot clock and take time off the game clock.

Thompson finished with 12 points, and Hill and Kiadii each had 11. Spinelli totaled 6, Kanady had 5, and Jacquez Anderson scored 2.

The Eagles will finish the regular season at home against Southeastern Baptist College at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 9. The NCCAA Division 2 South Region Tournament begins on February 22 at Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida.