Late free throws seal victory for Trinity

Trinity has played like a young basketball team during stretches this season with a tentative approach on offense and too many lapses on defense.
Those were the glaring weaknesses in a one-point loss to West Allegheny two weeks ago, but instead of being satisfied as a fringe playoff team in Section 5-AAA, Trinity won three consecutive close games entering Tuesday night and each was clinched at the free-throw line.
That’s why Hillers head coach Tim Tessmer has confidence with a lead in the final moments of a game, despite not having a senior on his roster.
In a key section game at home against rival South Park, it was sophomore point guard Joey Koroly who lifted the Hillers into second place and put opponents on notice that the future is now for Trinity basketball.
Koroly gave Trinity the lead with less than two minutes remaining before making seven free throws to help the Hillers defeat the Eagles, 55-49, at Hiller Hall.
The 5-11 two-year starter scored a game-high 15 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, and made 9 of 12 free throws in the final eight minutes.
“You have to pick your poison and our guys can make their free throws,” Tessmer said. “When you have a young team, it’s the little things. If we rebound and defend, we’re in a better place. If we hit our free throws, then we’re in a better place. They’re doing the right things at the right moments.”
Trinity (6-2, 8-6) led by seven points midway through the third quarter, but South Park (4-4, 5-9) used its three-point shooting to cut the deficit to three heading to the fourth and took a one-point lead with 6:42 remaining behind the outside shooting of senior Howie Ball, who had a team-high 14 points, including four three-pointers.
There were seven lead changes until Ball made a deep three-pointer with a hand in his face from the left wing to tie the score at 44-44 with 2:12 left in regulation. After the Hillers were called for an offensive foul, South Park attempted another three, but Trinity sophomore Dylan Kern grabbed the rebound and Koroly’s layup in transition gave the Hillers the lead.
They never looked back.
Koroly made nine free throws and Adam Raggi converted two more to help Trinity win its fourth straight section game. The Eagles shot just 16 of 41 from the field and missed five three-pointers in the final 90 seconds.
“Offensively, we didn’t play well,” South Park head coach Jason Dolak said. “We came back strong in the second half. We got the ball to the guys we wanted to, but they didn’t make the shots. Trinity battled a bit harder and was better on both ends down the stretch.”
The Hillers were tentative against the Eagles’ 2-3 zone in the first quarter, passing the ball around the key and committing six first-quarter turnovers that led to an early 7-0 deficit.
Behind two three-pointers by Kern, the Hillers went on a 19-2 run to grab a 19-9 lead, but after 12 minutes without a field goal, South Park’s Torry Hawkins made a three-pointer to cut the deficit to seven points at the half.
Trinity was 12 of 27 from the field in the middle quarters, when it only committed four turnovers, but South Park’s comeback began on a three-pointer.
“They shoot the ball well. We knew that’s what they do,” Tessmer said. “They’re scrappy, they go to the rim hard and they make shots. That’s kind of what they do. We had a few breakdowns and they got on a roll.”
The Hillers are in sole possession of second place, and with a rematch against South Fayette set for Friday, they believe now is the time for a run at the section title.
“We don’t want to talk about next year,” Koroly said. “It won’t help us thinking that way. We think we’re going to go in and win every game. That’s the mindset we have to have.”