Coach Ryan Crase said his Trinity Lutheran boys basketball team couldn’t afford to fall behind Greenwood Christian at the start of Tuesday night’s game at the Bollinger Athletic Complex and have a chance to pull an upset.

“We’ve got to play four good quarters to beat this team,” Crase said. Trinity was unable to do that and lost 65-48.

“They’re a very good team with a really good record,” Crase said before the game. “It’s going to be a tough one tonight.

“They like to push the ball and take a lot of 3-point shots, and when they’re hitting it can be an onslaught early. We’ve really got to contain their running game, and keep attacking them.

“We’re probably going to have to play a lot of man, and when we go zone we’ll have to play it in a way that guards the 3-point line. If we can do those things and rebound much better than we did last week (at Franklin) then we ought to have a good shot.”

Trinity did do a good job on the boards, holding a 34-20 advantage in rebounds. Jack Marksberry led all players with 14 rebounds, Tyler Goecker had 8 and Jacob Sabotin 7.

Greenwood got its offense early as Styles McCorkle’s second 3-pointer of the game gave the visitors an 11-2 lead at the 4:25 mark.

McCorkle, who came into the game averaging 20 points per game, scored 10 in the first period to spark the Cougars to a 21-6 lead. Greenwood (13-6) shot 8-for-12 from the floor in the opening period, while Trinity shot 3-for-10 and committed 7 turnovers.

Marksberry and Mitchell Hackman opened the second period with 3-pointers to help Trinity cut its deficit to 21-12 before Greenwood went on an 8-2 run to stretch its lead to 29-14, and the visitors led 35-20 at the half.

“We need to take care of good shots and take care of the ball,” Crase said. Trinity had 22 turnovers for the night and shot just 15-for-45.

Any hopes Trinity had for a comeback at the start of the third period quickly disappeared as the Cougars committed turnovers on their first two possessions, and had a third a little later that enabled Greenwood to score the first 10 points of the half for a 45-20 lead.

Hackman hit a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer as Trinity cut the difference to 45-28 and trailed 51-30 going into the fourth period.

McCorkle, a 6-foot-5 senior, finished with six 3-pointers and 36 points. Blake Shewmaker added 14 points for the winners.

Hudson Norton was high scorer for Trinity with 14 points, and Marksberry and Hackman scored 10 each.

Trinity (5-12) will host Christian Academy Thursday night.