TCJ Eagles Men's Basketball finishes as the South Region Runner-Up, having played a spectaular game with the Bruins of Bob Jones University. Diego Fernandez and Tayden Owens each surpassed 20 points, and Maximus Fuentes hit double figures, but the Bruins got 20+ from three different men and double figures from a fourth as BJU won the game 99-89. 

The game featured 4 ties and seven lead changes. Trinity started very strong, building an early 14-6 lead. BJU, though, erased that deficit quickly with a 9-0 run with baskets from three different Bruins for the game's first lead change. Soon after, Owens tied the score at 18-18 with 11:30 left in the first half. Two ties and four lead changes later, the teams found themselves knotted up at 30-all with 6:24 left in the first half. Bob Jones then finished the half on a 20-12 run to take a 50-42 lead into halftime. The surge was led by their top players: Shad Vander Hart, Trevor Pittman, and Justin Skelton. 

Both teams approached 50 points in the second half (BJU 49, TCJ 47) as they shot the ball very well (TCJ 47%, BJU 64%). Overall, the Eagles shot 45% from the field, and Bob Jones shot 59%. Both teams hit 7 three pointers. Trinity made 18 free throws, and BJU made 20.

Fernandez finished with 28 points to lead all scorers. He finishes as the nation's leading average scorer at 24.5 points per game in 25 official games played. He is also #1 in total points scored with 612, #1 with both 189 free throws made and 225 attempted, #14 at 84.0% from the line, and #4 in total three-pointers with 49.

[Senior Diego Fernandez leads the nation in 4 major scoring categories.]

Owens scored 21 on 7-for-16 shooting with 3 three-pointers. This was his 18th time in double figures (all games played) and 9th with 20 or more (season high of 35). Fuentes was 6 for 11 from the field and added 2 free throws to finish with 14 points for the Eagles. Trinity also got 7 from DJ Thompson, 6 from Brandon Hill, 5 from Derek Rivers, 3 each from Alex Dawson and Jayden Little, and 2 from Sherrard Adams. Fuentes had a season-high 41 points earlier in the season.

Rivers leads the nation in three-point percentage at 52.9 (18 for 34) for all players with 10 or more official games played; he is #18 in total three-pointers made. Adams is #12 with 35 three-pointer made.

[Derek Rivers leads the nation in 3-point percentage (52.9%).]

For the Bruins, Vander Hart and Pittman each scored 23 points, combining for 15 for 29 (52%) from the floor and 13 for 17 from the line. Skelton scored 21 (9 for 10, 3 for 4 FT), and Brandon Wilkins totaled 14 to help lead his team.

South Region Awards

For their perfromace during the season, especailly in South Region play, Diego Fernandez was named to the 2025-2026 All-South Region 1st team, and Tayden Owens made the All-South Region 2nd Team. Sherrard Adams made the All-South Region Freshman Team.

[The TCJ All-South Region Roster members for both Men's and Women's Basketball (Adams not pictured)].

The Eagles are the 2025-26 South Region runners-up, and they await the possibility of an at-large bid to the NCCAA Division 2 National Championship Tournament, which begins on March 11 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.