The No. 2 Tufts men’s basketball team faced off against No. 3 Trinity College in the NESCAC semifinals. Missing leading scorer and rebounder senior forward Scott Gyimesi, the Jumbos had to find other ways to adapt. They showed a strong performance but ultimately could not overcome the Bantams’ offense. Despite cutting the deficit to five with less than four minutes remaining, Tufts ultimately lost 80–70.
Tufts had strong individual performances from senior center Joshua Bernstein, who tallied 18 points, eight rebounds and five blocks, while going 8-for-8 from the field. Other notable performances included senior guard James Morakis, who scored 13 points off the bench, and first-year guard Ricardo Nieves, who added 10 points and four rebounds.
After the Jumbos’ first points –– and only lead of the game –– came from three made free throws by junior guard Dylan Reilly, Trinity came out strong, going on a 12–1 run within four minutes to make the score 14–4. It was this hole that Tufts was trying to climb out of for the rest of the game.
Many of Trinity’s points in the first half came from transition looks, attacking after steals, high-percentage three-point shooting and strong defensive rebounding. Trinity guard Drew Lazarre led the way in this half with eight quick points that contributed to the Bantams’ lead, including a made three, a jumper inside the arc and a 3-point play. Meanwhile, Tufts struggled to find its offensive rhythm.
Soon after, the Jumbos were able to settle in and respond, initiated by a quick 3-pointer from Nieves off an offensive rebound from junior forward Zion Watt. Solid minutes from Morakis, as well as a quick lay-in from sophomore forward Robbie Nyamwaya, kept the Jumbos within reach and cut the deficit to four.
The Jumbos continued to show patience on offense, working the ball inside and resulting in balanced scoring including a Bernstein dunk, four made free throws from junior guard Jon Medley, free throws from Watt and two three-pointers from Reilly. Bernstein also had four blocks in the first half, giving the Jumbos greater defensive momentum. Trinity, however, remained solid in their offensive efforts, converting on back-to-back threes with nearly one minute left in the half. A corner 3-pointer from Watt answered Trinity’s surge, making the score 47–38 at halftime. The Bantams’ offense throughout the half was driven by efficient shooting, including six made 3-pointers, shooting at a 54.55% success rate.
To start the second half, Tufts came out more aggressively inside. Two quick layups from Bernstein, first on an entry pass from senior guard Sidney Wooten and then on an inside move and fake, set the tone and reduced the deficit to single digits. An and-one play from Trinity then extended the lead to 13, the largest of the game. Wooten responded by making two free throws after being fouled on a drive, followed by a 3-pointer off quick ball movement and rebounding by the Jumbos.
Tufts’ defensive pressure also ramped up, with fewer clean looks for Trinity and an intense full-court press on made baskets. In spite of Tufts’ efforts, Trinity never conceded a lead smaller than four, continuing to answer with consistent shooting driven by offensive rebounding and longer possessions.
Tufts’ strongest stretch came from the 15-minute to eight-minute mark, when a transition give-and-go from Bernstein to Nieves resulted in a 3-point play. A fastbreak layup by Morakis, a defensive stop and a corner three from Morakis forced Trinity to call a timeout with less than 12 minutes remaining and a 6-point differential.
Tufts’ tight defense forced contested looks, but the Jumbos were unable to capitalize on this momentum because of turnovers. After a lull in scoring, Trinity hit a jumper, which was soon answered by a floater from Bernstein. After another timeout, a feed from Medley to Bernstein resulted in an easy layup, cutting the margin to four with less than eight minutes remaining.
A crucial transition three from Trinity’s Lazarre counteracted Tufts’ run. A feed from Medley to Nieves in transition, followed by another possession that resulted in a baseline lay-in from Nieves, allowed Tufts to come within five. The comeback was halted by a deep three from Trinity with just over three minutes left in the game.
In the last few minutes of the game, Tufts continued to put forth a strong effort but was forced to foul, resulting in free throws from Trinity that extended the lead. Turnovers and contested threes marked Tufts’ final attempts. The Jumbos were ultimately unable to mount a final surge, resulting in the 80–70 loss.
“We are disappointed with the result of losing in the NESCAC semifinals to Trinity, but proud of the effort. Especially given the fact that we were without our leading scorer and rebounder, Scott Gyimesi,” head coach Brandon Linton wrote in a message to the Daily.
As the No. 9 Division III team nationally, Tufts received an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament and will host the first and second rounds. Tufts will face Penn State Harrisburg on Friday at Cousens Gymnasium. “We are looking forward to NCAA Tournament play and fortunate to be hosting the [first] and [second] round for the second straight year,” Linton wrote.
