Hot Start Key In Triton Victory
December 14, 2016 at 3:24 p.m.
By Mark [email protected]
The Trojans were a perfect 7-of-7 from the field, didn’t have a turnover and held the Bruins scoreless in the first eight minutes of the game. In the second quarter, the Trojans hit 5 of 7 shots and held the Bruins without a field goal until there was 4:23 left in the second quarter, expanded their lead to as many as 22 points and took a 32-12 cushion into halftime.
In the second half, the Trojans hit just three shots, all by senior center Grant Johnson, and didn’t handle the Bruins’ defensive pressure nearly as well.
“That was a tale of two halves. The first half was one of the best halves we’ve played all year; the second half was one of the worst,” Triton head coach Jason Groves said. “But we didn’t turn the ball over, that was one key. They were more aggressive than we were the second half.
“I like the way we started, but we need to be more consistent. We haven’t been consistent in practice throughout the year, and that’s what we struggle with.”
Johnson had 10 of his game-high 15 points in the opening half, but was fouled frequently in the Bruins’ comeback effort. He finished 1 of 6 from the free throw line. Classmate Zac Pitney scored one point after halftime and finished with eight.
Groves said at halftime he talked to his team about maintaining its aggressiveness, but the message didn’t sink in.
“I told them, ‘That’s mental. When you come out and you’re missing only two shots in a half, that shows you’re focused mentally,’” he said. “In the second half, we couldn’t hit a shot. There’s two components to basketball, the physical and the mental, and I think a lot of kids nowadays struggle with that. Our kids need to be sharper and mentally focused for the entire game.
“In the second half we played like we just wanted to get the game over with. In the first half we came out attacking, and played with emotion, and in the second half we played on our heels. Give them credit for being the aggressor in the second half.”
The junior varsity game was a rout that went the Trojans’ way, 62-14 over the Bruins. Delano Shumpert had 14 points, Trenton Kreft had 11 and Jared Bules 10 for Triton’s JV squad.
With the varsity win, Triton evened its record at 3-3. The Trojans host Winamac for a Hoosier North Athletic Conference game Friday in the Trojan Trench.
TRITON 42, BETHANY CHRISTIAN 30
T 18 14 4 6 – 42
BC 0 12 5 13 – 30
Triton – Caden Marr 0-0 0-0 0, Nate Flenar 0-1 2-2 2, Drew Stichter 1-1 0-0 3, Brau Hepler 2-2 0-0 6, Max Slusser 0-1 0-0 0, Zac Pitney 2-7 3-4 8, Dylan Hensley 1-1 0-2 2, Grant Johnson 7-8 1-6 15, Adam Stevens 2-4 0-1 6. Totals 16-26 6-15 42.
BC – Zane Zmudzinski 2-3 1-1 7, Kerry Kern 2-6 0-0 5, Seth Brenneman 1-6 3-4 5, Lucas Brownsberger-Keyes 1-8 0-0 3, Tim Cartmel 0-0 0-0 0, Joel Plank 0-0 0-0 0, Jake Bedwell 1-1 0-0 2, KeShawn Smith 4-6 0-0 8. Totals 11-30 4-5 30.
Three-pointers – Triton 6 (Hepler 2, Stevens 2, Pitney, Stichter), BC 4 (Zmudzinski 2, Kern, Brenneman); Rebounds – Triton 19 (Pitney 4), BC 16 (Brenneman 4); Turnovers – Triton 6, BC 7; Fouls – Triton 8, BC 13; Fouled out – none; Records: Triton 3-3, BC 2-4.
JV – Triton 62, Bethany Christian 14
Triton – Delano Shumpert 14, Trenton Kreft 11, Jared Bules 10, Tye Orsund 8, Tyler Heckaman 6, Quentin Thornberg 5, Chase Butler 3, Kaden Atkins 3, Ty Ferry 2
The Trojans were a perfect 7-of-7 from the field, didn’t have a turnover and held the Bruins scoreless in the first eight minutes of the game. In the second quarter, the Trojans hit 5 of 7 shots and held the Bruins without a field goal until there was 4:23 left in the second quarter, expanded their lead to as many as 22 points and took a 32-12 cushion into halftime.
In the second half, the Trojans hit just three shots, all by senior center Grant Johnson, and didn’t handle the Bruins’ defensive pressure nearly as well.
“That was a tale of two halves. The first half was one of the best halves we’ve played all year; the second half was one of the worst,” Triton head coach Jason Groves said. “But we didn’t turn the ball over, that was one key. They were more aggressive than we were the second half.
“I like the way we started, but we need to be more consistent. We haven’t been consistent in practice throughout the year, and that’s what we struggle with.”
Johnson had 10 of his game-high 15 points in the opening half, but was fouled frequently in the Bruins’ comeback effort. He finished 1 of 6 from the free throw line. Classmate Zac Pitney scored one point after halftime and finished with eight.
Groves said at halftime he talked to his team about maintaining its aggressiveness, but the message didn’t sink in.
“I told them, ‘That’s mental. When you come out and you’re missing only two shots in a half, that shows you’re focused mentally,’” he said. “In the second half, we couldn’t hit a shot. There’s two components to basketball, the physical and the mental, and I think a lot of kids nowadays struggle with that. Our kids need to be sharper and mentally focused for the entire game.
“In the second half we played like we just wanted to get the game over with. In the first half we came out attacking, and played with emotion, and in the second half we played on our heels. Give them credit for being the aggressor in the second half.”
The junior varsity game was a rout that went the Trojans’ way, 62-14 over the Bruins. Delano Shumpert had 14 points, Trenton Kreft had 11 and Jared Bules 10 for Triton’s JV squad.
With the varsity win, Triton evened its record at 3-3. The Trojans host Winamac for a Hoosier North Athletic Conference game Friday in the Trojan Trench.
TRITON 42, BETHANY CHRISTIAN 30
T 18 14 4 6 – 42
BC 0 12 5 13 – 30
Triton – Caden Marr 0-0 0-0 0, Nate Flenar 0-1 2-2 2, Drew Stichter 1-1 0-0 3, Brau Hepler 2-2 0-0 6, Max Slusser 0-1 0-0 0, Zac Pitney 2-7 3-4 8, Dylan Hensley 1-1 0-2 2, Grant Johnson 7-8 1-6 15, Adam Stevens 2-4 0-1 6. Totals 16-26 6-15 42.
BC – Zane Zmudzinski 2-3 1-1 7, Kerry Kern 2-6 0-0 5, Seth Brenneman 1-6 3-4 5, Lucas Brownsberger-Keyes 1-8 0-0 3, Tim Cartmel 0-0 0-0 0, Joel Plank 0-0 0-0 0, Jake Bedwell 1-1 0-0 2, KeShawn Smith 4-6 0-0 8. Totals 11-30 4-5 30.
Three-pointers – Triton 6 (Hepler 2, Stevens 2, Pitney, Stichter), BC 4 (Zmudzinski 2, Kern, Brenneman); Rebounds – Triton 19 (Pitney 4), BC 16 (Brenneman 4); Turnovers – Triton 6, BC 7; Fouls – Triton 8, BC 13; Fouled out – none; Records: Triton 3-3, BC 2-4.
JV – Triton 62, Bethany Christian 14
Triton – Delano Shumpert 14, Trenton Kreft 11, Jared Bules 10, Tye Orsund 8, Tyler Heckaman 6, Quentin Thornberg 5, Chase Butler 3, Kaden Atkins 3, Ty Ferry 2
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