Trinity Valley, Angelina advance at Hutch

Published 6:50 pm Tuesday, March 25, 2025

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Tyler Smith, Zati Loubaki and Garrett Nuckolls combined for 45 points in leading No. 7 Trinity Valley to a 92-60 win over No. 23 Trinidad State (Colorado) on Tuesday in a second round game of the NJCAA Men’s National Basketball Tournament at Hutchinson Sports Arena.

The Cardinals (31-4) advance to the quarterfinals to face No. 2 Cowley (Kansas) (30-4) at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday (ESPN+).

Trinidad State ends its year at 19-15.

Also, No. 12 Angelina upset No. 5 Jones (Mississippi), 74-52, in a second round game. The Roadrunners (28-6) advance to play No. 4 South Plains (28-6) at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Panola played the late game against No. 11 Frank Phillips.

Smith led the Cardinals with 16 points, followed by Loubaki (15) and Nuckolls (14). Smith added five rebounds and five assists, while Nuckolls had two rebounds and three assists.

TVCC led 43-28 at halftime.

The Cardinals hit 11 of 18 from the free throw line and 7 of 24 from 3-point (Smith, 2; Nuckolls, 2; Camarion Johnson, 1; Cameron Williams, 1; Braylon Wenger, 1).

The Trojans hit 13 of 20 from the free throw line and 3 of 22 from 3-point (Amir Reaves, 1; Lateef Patrick, 1; Davenport, 1).

Angelina bolted out to a 37-27 halftime led and then held off Jones (30-4). The Roadrunners snapped the Bobcats’ 16-game winning streak.

Christian Jones led AC with 22 points, followed by Jordan Mathews (20), Daemon Ely (17) and Chris Carpenter (12). Kaanan Holder did not score, but had six rebounds and seven assists.

Ely and Mathews each had seven rebounds.

Dimp Pernell led Jones with 17 points, followed by Avery Thomas II (15) and Ky Pernell (12).

The Roadrunners hit 16 of 20 from the free throw line and 8 of 19 from 3-point (Jones, 6; Carpenter, 1; Kyle Morgan, 1).

The Bobcats were 7 of 10 from the free throw line and 5 of 23 from 3-point (Thomas, 3; K. Pernell, 1; D. Pernell, 1).