Triton second half push leads to home opener win
BOURBON — Triton’s boys basketball team had its home opener on Tuesday, Nov. 28 against South Bend Career academy. after a slow start in the first quarter, Triton fought back through the remainder of the contest to end the game with a 58 to 47 victory.
Triton was led in scoring by Julian Swanson and Gage Riffle, who each had 13 points.
The game got underway as Triton’s Jacob Pitney won the tip. The team went straight into motion working to get open looks from deep. This did not work on the first Trojan possession.
The game’s first points went to SBCA as Tanner Norman scored a layup following a SBCA offensive board. Kalen allen added two more shortly after getting a four point lead for SBCA.
The first point of the game for the Trojans went to Dante’ Workman, who got the point after being sent to the line. Swanson would tie up the game with a three.
Triton continued to struggle from deep and in the paint, as SBCA came out strong. Each time Triton went to the basket it would drop an extra man down forcing a contested attempt, a broken play or a pass back to the perimeter.
Triton took the first time out of the game down 6 to 15. This 9-point lead was SBCA’S largest of the game.
The Trojans were able to put a few more points on the board cutting down the lead to 7 at the end of the first quarter.
SBCA played strong in the paint as Bigs, Norman and Quincy Bradshaw used their size for an advantage.
In the second quarter SBCA’S press continued. Triton coach Jason Groves switched his game plan up, keeping more players near the inbound, sometimes keeping all four players near the passer.
Triton’s offense came alive in this quarter, scoring 13 points, and the defense also saw improvement holding SBCA to just 6 points in the quarter. Triton found much of its success through second-chance buckets.
Sophomore Landon Patrick made big plays to help end the half in a tie as he hit a three to cut the lead to 2, and then forced the turnover which led to Gage Riffle going to the free throw line, making both.
SBCA had a chance to get another shot up before the half, but Triton’s defense kept them from getting the ball up before the buzzer. Halftime score was tied at 23.
Struggles from deep continued in the second half, but the Trojans found other areas to connect from. Good play in the paint by Tanner Witt-hoyo and Isaac Quintana were key for the defense.
Bradshaw was a big force for SBCA as he continued to use his size, both scoring and on defense.
Triton’s Pitney, Swanson and Riffle all had big shots in the third to help boost Triton’s offense.
SBCA turned the ball over and Triton forced big stops on Bradshaw in the paint, and the teams went back and forth scoring.
Riffle scored an and-one free throw to get a 1 point lead, soon followed by a score from Pitney, giving the Trojans a 3-point lead. Swanson got fouled in the paint and went to the line making one of his attempts, giving the Trojans a 4 point lead, their biggest at the time.
SBCA was able to cut the Trojans lead back to 2 as the quarter ended with Triton up 39 to 37.
Plays by Witt-hoyo, Workman, Riffle and Pitney got Triton’s lead to 9. Triton kept possession, passing the ball around until 1:04 remaining in the game.
SBCA’S ashton Murray then fouled Julian Swanson, putting Triton in the bonus. Swanson scored both from the line taking Triton’s lead to 11, the biggest of the game. SBCA scored once more, before Triton made a big play off an inbound pass where Workman was able to get down the court to score a layup, setting the final score at 58-47.
“Obviously, I think the O-D game as well as this game, we didn’t have a great start to the game. I thought their athleticism got to us, their pressure got to us. I thought we were playing a little bit too fast. So it was just a matter of slowing down, relaxing, executing what we do and I thought our kids did that,” Coach Groves said.
With the loss SBCA moves to 0-2 on the season. The Trailblazers’ next game will be at home against Trinity on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
With the win Triton, moves to 2-0 on the season, with the next game Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at home against Lakeland Christian academy.
“Just keep getting better. We just gotta trust the process and get better each and every day in practice,” Groves said. “We take one game at a time, it’s a long season so you just got to look to the next step and see what your weaknesses are, try to improve them and keep building your strengths and just get together and bond as team and keep getting better.”
This years Trojans’ roster is made up of younger players. Pitney is the teams lone senior. Many sophomores saw good minutes in this win.
“It’s going to be a growing process for us this year,” Groves said. “Obviously we’re young and have some inexperienced guys. I think we have some pieces, we just have to figure out how to put them together. Not quite sure where that’s at right now, but I feel like we had a lot of guys step up tonight and come off the bench and do a good job. That’s what they got to do. They just have to stay patient and keep getting better and when their time comes be able to produce. We did the tonight.”
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At Bourbon SBCA 17 23 37 47 Triton 10 23 39 58