Sanders leads Trinity Catholic past Gainesville in three game streak

Sanders leads Trinity Catholic past Gainesville in three game streak

Trinity Catholic’s three-game win streak was in danger the minute they stepped foot in Gainesville.

The Hurricanes feature three players 6 feet or taller in the tallest frontline the Celtics have faced all year.

Gainesville made it a dogfight down the stretch and even pulled within four with just under 90 seconds to play, but smart play and a solid night of free throws helped the Celtics pull away 52-43 on Wednesday.

Gainesville (6-5) jumped out to an early lead, ending the first quarter up 16-10. The Celtics (7-3) were flat and didn’t get better in the second quarter, allowing the Hurricanes to lead 26-18 at the half.

In the locker room, Trinity Catholic head coach Matthew Moyer gave his team two scenarios. One where coach Moyer calls a timeout to stop the bleeding three minutes into the second half or the Celtics force Gainesville to call a timeout as their lead slips out of their fingers.

“They got in us and after us early. We looked the moment in the face and said we’ve been here before and did what we had to do,” said coach Moyer.

Trinity Catholic returned to the floor with new life, and like clockwork, Gainesville needed a timeout to stop their march at 5:06. The Celtics dropped 18 points in the third quarter to take the lead 36-33.

Now that we’re away from the hardwood, let’s talk about storylines. Both teams have plenty to reflect on at the midway point heading into the break.

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Celtics on a three-game streak

Moyer has expectations for his team. It’s sinking into the core of the team. They don’t want to take plays off because they know they’ll put more stress on a teammate.

The team’s versatility glues them together. It’s taken hold over the win streak. A pair of 35-plus-point wins gave them confidence from a back-and-forth six-game stretch.

“It’s just like a stock right now. Up and down a little in the beginning, but now everybody is buying in, and the stock is going to continue to rise,” said Moyer.

Heaven Sanders scored a season 17 points on 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc. Freshman Alessa Washington continues her stellar freshman campaign with 13 points and six rebounds. Rose Gravel grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds, three steals, and a block. Three players finished with two assists.

Coach Moyer’s basketball mind

Moyer broke down every game’s pivotal plays, scores at each quarter, and detailed closing moments without looking at a stat sheet. It was just a peek into the mind of a coach who spent hours preparing his team for games.

“This is my life… That’s it, man, this is literally what I do all the time,” said Moyer. “I just had to mentally replay it.”

That level of IQ shows in his team. Everyone plays their role, and it makes the green machine run. The team is polished but has a higher ceiling that they’ll strive for in the second half of the season.

How Gainesville looks at the break

Leyah Houston scored a game-high 19 points despite the loss. The Hurricanes had mixed results in the first half of the season. There’s been winning streaks and losing streaks, and they’re still above .500.

When you break down their record further, you’ll see one of the best teams in the Gainesville area. Trinity Catholic is the only school within an hour’s radius to beat the Hurricanes this season. The remaining four losses came from Orlando, Jacksonville, and Daytona teams.

The Hurricanes may only get better in the second half of the season. They’ve beaten three of the eight remaining games of the season. Five are out-of-town opponents, two of which Gainesville has beaten. The New Year could see the Hurricanes as a district championship challenger.

The post Sanders leads Trinity Catholic past Gainesville in three game streak first appeared on Daily Florida Press.

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