In yet another barnburner with a team they always play close, TCJ Eagles Men's Basketball fended off a late surge and used seven free throws in the final 1:14 to defeat the Timberwolves of Florida Gateway College 84-81 on Saturday. The Eagles got points from 8 players, and every point prived vital as FGC erased a 14-point late second-half deficit before Trinity started that line of foul shots. 

Maximus Fuentes started that final run by sinking both shots at the line for the last 2 of his 17 points. His first tied the score at 78-78, and his second gave Trinity back the lead that they did not relinquish again.

[Maximus Fuentes put the Eagles ahead to stay with 1:14 left to play.] 

With 34 seconds left, Diego Fernandez drew a foul and sank 1 of 2 for his 24th point of the game. The Eagles stopped the ensuing FGC possession with a rebound, and Tayden Owens soon went to the line with 12 seconds left. He sank two to make the score 82-78. With 4 seconds left, a technical foul gave Fernandez a chance to put the game away, and Fernandez did so by sinking two more to put Trinity ahead 84-78. FGC's David Wilson banked a three-pointer off the glass as time exprired, but Trinity won by 3. 

The two teams stayed within a five-point margin or smaller throughout the first half. Trinity led most of the way until FGC's Brandon Castillo hit a three-pointer to put his team ahead 27-26. Fuentes soon after hit a three of his own to reclaim the lead for the Eagles at 35-33 with 3:56 left in the half. The teams continued to stay close, and Sherrard Adams hit a jump shot for the final points before halftime, and Trinity led 43-38.

Trinity opened a 14-point lead at 73-59 with 8:35 remaining, but Florida Gateway immediately started its comeback. The Timberwolves went on a 19-4 run and took the lead at 78-77 on a layup from Jaevien Ervin with 1:34 left to play. That lead, though, was short-lived when Fuentes went to the line just 20 seconds later. 

Fernandez led the court with 26 points. Fuentes's 17 (3 three-pointers) was second on the team, and Adams finished with 9. DJ Thompson scored 8 while Jayden Little totaled 7, Brandon Hill and Alex Dawson each contributed 6, and Owens finished with 5. Thompson led everyone with 11 rebounds. The Eagles shot over 50% in each half and finished at 53%. They sank 4 three-pointers and 28 foul shots. The defense held FGC to 39% shooting from the field, but the Timberwolves made 21 free throws. 

Florida Gateway got double-digit scoring from Castillo (18), Isaac Broxey (16), and Angelo Mack (13). Castillo had 4 of his team's 6 three-point shots. 

The Eagles will play 3 of the next 4 on the road. First, Trinity travels to Beacon College for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off on Monday, November 17. TCJ then plays NCAA Division 2 Flagler College for an exhibition the next night and returns home on November 20 to face the University of Fort Lauderdale. After Thanksgiving, Trinity plays an exhibition game with NCAA Division 1 University of North Florida on November 29.