Bloomington, IL -- Trinity Bloomington (9-0, 3-0 LSA) remains undefeated, overcoming a double-digit first-half deficit to edge past O.S. Springfield (9-3, 1-1 LSA) 81-78 in a highly competitive conference matchup on Friday night.
Behind David Null’s 28 points, Drew Dicken’s 14, and Jonathon Blankenship’s surprise 18-point explosion off the bench, the Crusaders used a 12-1 second-half run to seize control and secure a statement win.
With the victory, Trinity Bloomington has officially entered the conversation as an LSA State Tournament contender, silencing early-season doubters.
Despite the loss, O.S. Springfield’s core trio put up big numbers:
-- Jace Easley led the way with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists.
-- Conor McCaffrey recorded a near triple-double with 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 12 assists.
-- Jeremiah Perkins added 18 points and 7 rebounds, providing strong interior play.
But Springfield’s lack of bench production and costly mistakes down the stretch proved to be the difference.
Springfield led for most of the game, but with five minutes left, momentum shifted in Trinity’s favor.
-- A controversial technical foul on Lucas Schmitt—called for an elbow while boxing out on a free throw—sparked a 12-1 Crusader run.
-- Trinity Bloomington capitalized on the extra possession, draining back-to-back threes to erase Springfield’s lead.
-- The Eagles had a final chance in the closing seconds, but a heavily contested Easley three-pointer missed as time expired.
Trinity executed down the stretch, making big-time shots when it mattered most.
While Springfield missed an opportunity to start 2-0 in conference play for the first time since 2016, this game showed they are still among the elite LSA teams.
LSA analyst Marcus Taylor weighed in on the loss:
"This is a tough one for O.S., but they showed why they’re a title contender. Easley and McCaffrey are stars, but they need more help in close games. If they fix that, they’re as dangerous as anyone."
Despite the win, Trinity Bloomington’s path doesn’t get easier, with upcoming matchups against Christ Lutheran and Bethel Morton—two other LSA powerhouses.
As for O.S. Springfield, they’ll need to regroup quickly as conference play heats up. Can they bounce back and prove they belong at the top of the LSA rankings?