The Trinity Lutheran boys basketball team celebrated Senior Night by defeating Christian Academy 69-51 Thursday night in the Bollinger Athletic Complex.

Prior to the game, senior players Jack Marksberry, Tyler Goecker and Lawson Woods, swimmer Ethan Myers, senior managers and cheerleaders, along with their parents, were introduced.

Cougars coach Ryan Crase said the three senior basketball players have meant a lot to the program.

“They mean the world,” he said. “They’re just hard-working, talented, good team players. They’re ready to go out here and perform tonight.”

Lawson is sidelined with a wrist injury, but Goecker topped the Cougars in scoring with 19 points and Marksberry had 17. Goecker had 5 rebounds and Marksberry had 4 rebounds.

Goecker had a hot hand from the start as he opened Trinity’s scoring with a 3-pointer, and scored 10 points in the first period to help his team to a 15-15 tie at the end of the quarter.

Marksberry and Hudson Norton hit 3-pointers, and Marksberry added a layup as Trinity scored the first eight points of the second quarter for a 23-15 lead.

The Warriors rallied back to tie the game at 29 all before Mitchell Hackman hit a 3-pointer late in the half to give his team a 32-29 lead at the break.

“We need to play good defense and stay in front of our man, stay on our man, and rebound and share the ball,” Crase said. “That’s where we failed in our last game, moving the ball and getting great shots and that’s what we’re trying to get back to tonight.”

The Cougars had an excellent night from the floor by shooting 26 for 43, while Christian Academy finished 17 for 42.

Crase predicted another key to the outcome would be turnovers, and he wanted his team to have five or less in the first half. They matched that number in the first 16 minutes of action and had only eight for the game. The visitors made nine turnovers.

Marksberry drove for a layup early in the third period to give Trinity a 34-24 lead before the Warriors cut the difference to 34-31.

Hackman and Norton scored back-to-back baskets to help the Cougars extend their lead, and Norton and Marksberry added 3-pointers later in the quarter to put the home team on top 48-36 going into the fourth quarter.

Norton finished with 16 points and Hackman scored 11 as Trinity placed four players in double figures for the fifth time this season.

A 6-0 run midway through the fourth period enabled Trinity to take a comfortable 57-40 lead, and their biggest advantage of the night was 67-48 in the final minute.

Brady Dunn was high scorer for the Warriors (6-12) with 17 points.

Trinity (6-12) will travel to Edinburgh Tuesday night. Trinity’s final home game will be against Charlestown Feb. 23