(Interstat) — In a dramatic finish on Friday, March 13, 2026, the Trinidad State Trojans edged the Northwest Trappers 73-72 in a men’s junior college basketball game decided in the final seconds. The victory, secured by a last-second defensive stop, improved Trinidad State to 16-17 on the season, while Northwest fell to 16-11.

The game was a tightly contested affair defined by contrasting offensive styles. The Trojans, despite shooting a lower percentage from the floor, leveraged efficiency from beyond the arc and the free throw line to secure the win. Trinidad State made nine three-pointers to Northwest’s four and converted 16 of 18 free throws, while the Trappers made just 10 of 17 from the line. Northwest held advantages in field goal percentage, rebounds and assists, but committed 11 turnovers to Trinidad State’s nine.

Demorae Pritchett was the standout performer for Trinidad State, leading all scorers with 27 points. His clutch play was pivotal down the stretch. Manning Shareef added 17 points and seven rebounds for the Trojans. Northwest’s effort was more balanced, with six players scoring between nine and 15 points. R’Zha Zha’Quire Whittle led the Trappers with 15 points, while Eli Patterson contributed eight rebounds and six assists, and Nayel Girard added 10 points, six rebounds and six assists.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the final 35 seconds. With the score tied at 71, Northwest’s Logan Woolstenhulme made one of two free throws to give the Trappers a 72-71 lead. On the ensuing possession, Trinidad State’s Pritchett drew a foul and calmly sank both free throws to put the Trojans back ahead 73-72 with 35 seconds remaining. Following a Northwest timeout, Patterson turned the ball over for the Trappers. Pritchett then came up with a steal and finished with a dunk to extend the lead to 75-72, though the play-by-play indicates the final score was 73-72, suggesting a scoring adjustment or that the dunk occurred as time expired. Northwest had one final opportunity, but Girard’s layup attempt in the closing seconds missed, sealing the Trojans’ narrow victory.

The game was a statistical upset, as Interstat’s ELO system had projected Northwest with a 74 percent probability to win. The two teams are scheduled for a quick rematch on Saturday, March 14, at Northwest.