The Crusaders scored the first point on a layup by center Derrik Smits.
“We were a bit tentative in the first half,” said head coach Matt Lottich in a conference after the game.
After the first layup by Smits, the Crusaders and Trinity Christian Trolls shot back and forth, keeping the score within a baskets distance. It wasn’t until over halfway into the first half that the Crusaders really started to gain some edge.
With 12 minutes to go into the first half, Trinity Christian’s Terrence Lacy got a fast break down the court. As he leaned in for a layup, Crusader Markus Golder leapt into the air and smacked the ball right out of the court, foiling the would-be field goal.