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Trinity Christian charges past Riptide with 3-point barrage
Trinity Christian-River Islands boys basketball
River Islands’ Idrees ElFarra (12) drives on Trinity Christian’s Andrew Daniel (10) and Lucas Hiriscau (3). - photo by SEAN KAHLER

Thanks to five third-quarter 3-pointers, visiting Trinity Christian erased an 11-point halftime deficit and sported a three-point lead going into the fourth period with the Eagles going on to defeat River Islands 60-57 at Epic Charter School in non-league boys basketball action.

“I think they got a little hot from behind the 3-point line in the third quarter,” Riptide coach Justin Graham said. “And that got us out of doing what we did well in the first half, which was just protecting the paint.

“Opening up the paint and getting those baskets in the third quarter took away our opportunities to get in transition and get easy baskets.”

Matthew Daniel had the hot hand for Trinity Christian (18-3) of Sacramento in that pivotal third quarter, tallying 17 points in the period behind five 3-pointers, finishing with a game-high 24 points and six 3-pointers.

“He did a great job,” Eagles coach Matt Cook said of Daniel. “At halftime, I told him to be aggressive and that we needed his offensive input. He shot with confidence, and it was a great job by him and getting us back in the game and keeping us in the game.

“He didn’t play last year, and he did a phenomenal job just keeping the game tight so we would have a chance to finish it at the end.”

The two teams went toe-to-toe in the first quarter with three lead changes and a tie and River Islands (10-11) leading 24-17 after eight minutes. The Riptide’s Dylan Patel (nine rebounds, two assists, steal) scored all of his eight points in the second quarter, helping River Islands to a 38-27 halftime lead before the bottom fell out with the 20-12 Trinity Christian third period.

The Riptide’s Darius Radoc-Factoran (four steals, two rebounds, two assists) tallied four 3-pointers and finished with 21 points while teammate Zachary Basurto added with 16 points.

The Eagles added three players in double figures – Lucas Hiriscau (four rebounds, two assists) with 14 points, Christofer Thomas (eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks) with 13 points and Samuel Muntean tallying six points down the stretch and 12 overall.

River Islands resumes Central California Athletic Alliance play tonight at 7 against Ben Holt College Prep Academy at Epic Charter School.