WILLIMANTIC, Conn. - Sophomore Gilbert Otoo (Burtonsville, Md.) scored a game-high 27 points in his collegiate debut to lead the Trinity College Bantams to a 113-91 victory over the Mitchell College Mariners in the opening round of the Eastern Connecticut State University Men's Basketball Tip-Off Tournament this evening at Geissler Gymnasium.  The Bantams will play the host ECSU Warriors, who downed St. Joseph's College-Brooklyn, 68-58, today, in the finals tomorrow at 3 p.m.

Trinity and Mitchell battled throughout, as the score was tied ten times and had six lead changes. Trinity led by a point with nine minutes left but outscored the Mariners, 34-13, the rest of the way.  Five Bantams scored in double figures, including senior tri-captain Donald Jorden (Tampa, Fla.) who had 21 points and seven rebounds.  Otoo and Jorden combined to shoot 19-for-29 from the floor.  Bantam junior forward Dana Smith (Providence, R.I.) contributed 13 of his 18 points in the second half.  Rookie guard Will Dorion (Needham, Mass.) and Ethan McEachern (York, Maine) had eight rebounds and seven assists, respectively.