Midseason Changes Spark Triton's Tournament Success
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
BOURBON - The time when Triton girls basketball coach Mark Heeter knew his team needed change -Êany change - came while he watched the tape of the John Glenn game.
Triton played Glenn in the eighth game of the season. The Trojans, down two in the third quarter, managed to lose by 26, 70-44. The loss dropped them to 1-8. He watched the tape, possession by possession. He saw what had happened.
His wife, Jenni, told him how to fix it.
Tired of watching Triton lose game after game - the Trojans were 1-10 after 11 games - she urged him to make changes. Play the youngsters, she told him.
Mark saw her point.
"I talked to (assistant coach Gayle) Perry and told her, 'If we're gonna lose, we might as well get the sophomores experience while we're losing,'" he said.
By the end of the season, Triton was starting sophomore center Betsy Salyer, sophomore forward Rachel Speicher, sophomore guard Brandie Ganshorn, junior forward Melissa Nifong and senior guard Kendra Blackford. The two girls who benefited most from the mid-season change in direction were Ganshorn and freshman Amber Feldman, one of the first girls off the bench.
By the end of the season, Triton was winning basketball games. The Trojans went from 1-10 in their first 11 to 8-4 in their last 12. Three of those eight wins came in the Culver Sectional, which saw them enter 6-14 and leave 9-14 after winning their second straight sectional championship.
"The girls just brought a different level of energy to the team," Heeter said. "We lost four games, but we lost to Manchester, LaVille, Plymouth and North Judson, all good programs. Their youthfulness picked us up, gave us energy and helped us to get off to better starts.
"Our season really has been split into two seasons. The first half, it was just frustration. The second half has been nothing but positive. I never figured we would turn around like this and win eight of 12."
Next up for 9-14 Triton is 16-5 Kouts, which, judging by records, should end the Trojans' season Saturday at the Knox Regional. The sectional title is the seventh for Kouts and first since 1992.
But Heeter overflows with optimism. On a different level, he sees Kouts as the Chicago Bulls of the mid- to late-1980s, back before the titles, back when it was all Michael Jordan and no one else.
"One player, Erica Martin, is an outstanding player who is only a sophomore, but she is their go-to player," he said. "She is a good shooter outside, and she does a good job of driving to the basket. I've seen four tapes and talked to another coach, so I have five good representations."
But?
"She is the only one offensively who can hurt us."
Martin averages 22.2 points per game for a team that scores 54. No other player scores in double figures. She may be just a sophomore, but she was named Porter County Conference Player of the Year.
What about the four other starters and the bench players, you ask.
"The others, if we get a hand in their faces, they aren't good shooters," Heeter said.
Oh, Heeter isn't optimistic for this reason only. Schedules are another. Kouts played six 2A schools and 15 1A schools; Triton played six 3A, eight 2A and six 1A schools.
"I know that doesn't always mean much," Heeter admits, "but the teams we lost to, except Bremen, all won at least 11 or 12 games."
"Records can be deceiving," Kouts coach Susan Sanders said. "Triton plays a little tougher schedule than us."
Then there is size. Kouts' tallest starter is 5-foot-9; Four of Triton's five starters are 5-9 or taller. If there are two phases of the game Triton has done well all season, it's rebound and score inside. The Trojans average 35 rebounds per game, and they grabbed 45 in their sectional championship win.
More rebounds equals more shot opportunities which equals more chances to score.
"We should dominate on the boards," Heeter said.
Said Sanders: "Rebounding has been one of our weaknesses and something we have been stressing."
Triton's go-to player is Salyer, who averages 15 points and 10 rebounds per game.
"Triton's strength is definitely inside," Sanders said. "We have to work to contain those inside players."
When one coach talks about height being an advantage, the other often talks about quickness being an advantage. Sanders is no exception.
"We have to handle the ball well and make good passes," she said. "We feel we are quicker and that will even things out for us."
Heeter's game plan going in is simple: Do not let Martin beat us by herself. Make the other players beat us.
"Even if she does score 20, if we shut the others down, we will win," Heeter said.
The current game plan of choice against Triton is a 2-3 zone. Oregon-Davis, a team with just five wins, played a 2-3 zone and stayed with Triton for three quarters in the sectional before losing.
By packing in players in the 2-3 zone, teams figure they can contain Triton's center and top scorer, Salyer. Salyer, Triton's lone scorer in double figures, averages 15 points and 10 rebounds per game.
But Triton's perimeter shooting improved throughout the sectional.
"If they do pack it in inside like O-D did, I think we should still be OK," Heeter said. "Our girls are more secure about shooting outside."
Heeter knows about only five Kouts games, but in all five, Kouts played man-to-man defense and little zone.
Popular thinking would have that after starting 1-10, Triton is pleased just to be at the regional. But after watching Kouts, Heeter wants more. He hopes his girls do, too.
"I think we can advance," he said. "I feel Kouts is good, and they were the best team in their area. But just from watching and comparing tapes against teams we both played, I feel good about our chances. And who would have thought we could say that five or six weeks ago?"
KNOX GIRLS BASKETBALL REGIONAL
Class A: Triton (9-14) vs. Kouts (16-5), 4:15 p.m. Saturday
1998-1999 TRITON GIRLS BASKETBALL STATS
Name FG FG% 3-PT 3-PT FG% FT FT% PTS PPG A APG S SPG R RPG
Betsy Salyer 156-281 55.5 0-1 0.0 32-48 66.7 344 15.0 45 2.0 37 1.6 230 10.0
Melissa Nifong 91-208 43.8 8-41 19.5 25-34 73.5 215 9.3 49 2.1 31 1.4 154 6.7
Rachel Speicher 41-131 31.3 0-0 - 32-59 54.2 114 5.0 52 2.3 17 .74 89 3.9
Brandie Ganshorn 39-113 34.5 7-26 26.9 14-26 53.8 99 4.3 99 4.3 32 1.4 49 2.1
Gwen Roberts 33-108 30.6 0-1 0.0 28-50 56 94 4.1 7 .30 8 .35 48 2.1
Amber Feldman 22-51 43.1 0-3 0.0 26-32 81.3 70 3.9 32 1.8 30 1.7 51 2.8
Jamey Bell 34-96 35.4 0-0 - 14-32 43.8 82 3.6 8 .35 5 .22 84 3.7
Kendra Blackford 18-63 28.6 12-40 30 5-15 33.3 53 2.5 60 2.9 21 1.0 55 2.6
Kelli Hackett 13-48 27.1 3-18 16.7 14-28 50 43 2.3 12 .63 14 .74 13 0.7
Totals 457-1130 40.4 30-130 23.1 200-341 58.7 1144 49.7 374 16.3 202 8.8 806 35.0
Opponents 440-1212 36.3 76-253 30 249-420 59.3 1205 52.4 259 11.3 293 12.7 710 30.9
1998-1999 KOUTS GIRLS BASKETBALL STATS
Name FG FG% 3-PT 3-PT FG% FT FT% PTS PPG A APG S SPG R RPG
Erica Martin 178-352 51 10-25 40 100-129 78 466 22.2 38 1.8 69 3.3 163 7.8
Mary Gonzales 67-197 34 25-73 34 35-58 60 194 9.7 68 3.4 24 1.2 62 3.1
Jenni Bielinski 34-71 48 0-0 - 5-11 46 16 1.8 7 0.8 51 5.7 73 8.1
Andrea Amor 46-144 37 18-70 26 8-24 33 118 5.6 80 3.8 22 1.0 57 2.7
Jenny Howard 50-110 46 3-8 38 14-34 41 34 1.6 33 1.6 115 5.5 117 5.6
Lauri Wilhite 31-81 38 0-5 0.0 5-13 39 67 3.2 19 0.9 9 0.4 54 2.6
Stephanie Drazer 15-69 22 0-0 - 24-44 55 54 2.7 24 1.2 11 0.6 74 3.7
Danielle Kain 14-55 26 0-1 0.0 18-33 55 46 2.3 31 1.6 17 0.9 86 4.3
Totals 439-1095 40 56-182 31 213-352 61 1147 54.6 312 14.9 197 9.4 681 32.4
Opponents 346-1108 31 38-170 22 202-352 57 932 44.4 191 9.1 203 9.7 665 31.2 [[In-content Ad]]
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BOURBON - The time when Triton girls basketball coach Mark Heeter knew his team needed change -Êany change - came while he watched the tape of the John Glenn game.
Triton played Glenn in the eighth game of the season. The Trojans, down two in the third quarter, managed to lose by 26, 70-44. The loss dropped them to 1-8. He watched the tape, possession by possession. He saw what had happened.
His wife, Jenni, told him how to fix it.
Tired of watching Triton lose game after game - the Trojans were 1-10 after 11 games - she urged him to make changes. Play the youngsters, she told him.
Mark saw her point.
"I talked to (assistant coach Gayle) Perry and told her, 'If we're gonna lose, we might as well get the sophomores experience while we're losing,'" he said.
By the end of the season, Triton was starting sophomore center Betsy Salyer, sophomore forward Rachel Speicher, sophomore guard Brandie Ganshorn, junior forward Melissa Nifong and senior guard Kendra Blackford. The two girls who benefited most from the mid-season change in direction were Ganshorn and freshman Amber Feldman, one of the first girls off the bench.
By the end of the season, Triton was winning basketball games. The Trojans went from 1-10 in their first 11 to 8-4 in their last 12. Three of those eight wins came in the Culver Sectional, which saw them enter 6-14 and leave 9-14 after winning their second straight sectional championship.
"The girls just brought a different level of energy to the team," Heeter said. "We lost four games, but we lost to Manchester, LaVille, Plymouth and North Judson, all good programs. Their youthfulness picked us up, gave us energy and helped us to get off to better starts.
"Our season really has been split into two seasons. The first half, it was just frustration. The second half has been nothing but positive. I never figured we would turn around like this and win eight of 12."
Next up for 9-14 Triton is 16-5 Kouts, which, judging by records, should end the Trojans' season Saturday at the Knox Regional. The sectional title is the seventh for Kouts and first since 1992.
But Heeter overflows with optimism. On a different level, he sees Kouts as the Chicago Bulls of the mid- to late-1980s, back before the titles, back when it was all Michael Jordan and no one else.
"One player, Erica Martin, is an outstanding player who is only a sophomore, but she is their go-to player," he said. "She is a good shooter outside, and she does a good job of driving to the basket. I've seen four tapes and talked to another coach, so I have five good representations."
But?
"She is the only one offensively who can hurt us."
Martin averages 22.2 points per game for a team that scores 54. No other player scores in double figures. She may be just a sophomore, but she was named Porter County Conference Player of the Year.
What about the four other starters and the bench players, you ask.
"The others, if we get a hand in their faces, they aren't good shooters," Heeter said.
Oh, Heeter isn't optimistic for this reason only. Schedules are another. Kouts played six 2A schools and 15 1A schools; Triton played six 3A, eight 2A and six 1A schools.
"I know that doesn't always mean much," Heeter admits, "but the teams we lost to, except Bremen, all won at least 11 or 12 games."
"Records can be deceiving," Kouts coach Susan Sanders said. "Triton plays a little tougher schedule than us."
Then there is size. Kouts' tallest starter is 5-foot-9; Four of Triton's five starters are 5-9 or taller. If there are two phases of the game Triton has done well all season, it's rebound and score inside. The Trojans average 35 rebounds per game, and they grabbed 45 in their sectional championship win.
More rebounds equals more shot opportunities which equals more chances to score.
"We should dominate on the boards," Heeter said.
Said Sanders: "Rebounding has been one of our weaknesses and something we have been stressing."
Triton's go-to player is Salyer, who averages 15 points and 10 rebounds per game.
"Triton's strength is definitely inside," Sanders said. "We have to work to contain those inside players."
When one coach talks about height being an advantage, the other often talks about quickness being an advantage. Sanders is no exception.
"We have to handle the ball well and make good passes," she said. "We feel we are quicker and that will even things out for us."
Heeter's game plan going in is simple: Do not let Martin beat us by herself. Make the other players beat us.
"Even if she does score 20, if we shut the others down, we will win," Heeter said.
The current game plan of choice against Triton is a 2-3 zone. Oregon-Davis, a team with just five wins, played a 2-3 zone and stayed with Triton for three quarters in the sectional before losing.
By packing in players in the 2-3 zone, teams figure they can contain Triton's center and top scorer, Salyer. Salyer, Triton's lone scorer in double figures, averages 15 points and 10 rebounds per game.
But Triton's perimeter shooting improved throughout the sectional.
"If they do pack it in inside like O-D did, I think we should still be OK," Heeter said. "Our girls are more secure about shooting outside."
Heeter knows about only five Kouts games, but in all five, Kouts played man-to-man defense and little zone.
Popular thinking would have that after starting 1-10, Triton is pleased just to be at the regional. But after watching Kouts, Heeter wants more. He hopes his girls do, too.
"I think we can advance," he said. "I feel Kouts is good, and they were the best team in their area. But just from watching and comparing tapes against teams we both played, I feel good about our chances. And who would have thought we could say that five or six weeks ago?"
KNOX GIRLS BASKETBALL REGIONAL
Class A: Triton (9-14) vs. Kouts (16-5), 4:15 p.m. Saturday
1998-1999 TRITON GIRLS BASKETBALL STATS
Name FG FG% 3-PT 3-PT FG% FT FT% PTS PPG A APG S SPG R RPG
Betsy Salyer 156-281 55.5 0-1 0.0 32-48 66.7 344 15.0 45 2.0 37 1.6 230 10.0
Melissa Nifong 91-208 43.8 8-41 19.5 25-34 73.5 215 9.3 49 2.1 31 1.4 154 6.7
Rachel Speicher 41-131 31.3 0-0 - 32-59 54.2 114 5.0 52 2.3 17 .74 89 3.9
Brandie Ganshorn 39-113 34.5 7-26 26.9 14-26 53.8 99 4.3 99 4.3 32 1.4 49 2.1
Gwen Roberts 33-108 30.6 0-1 0.0 28-50 56 94 4.1 7 .30 8 .35 48 2.1
Amber Feldman 22-51 43.1 0-3 0.0 26-32 81.3 70 3.9 32 1.8 30 1.7 51 2.8
Jamey Bell 34-96 35.4 0-0 - 14-32 43.8 82 3.6 8 .35 5 .22 84 3.7
Kendra Blackford 18-63 28.6 12-40 30 5-15 33.3 53 2.5 60 2.9 21 1.0 55 2.6
Kelli Hackett 13-48 27.1 3-18 16.7 14-28 50 43 2.3 12 .63 14 .74 13 0.7
Totals 457-1130 40.4 30-130 23.1 200-341 58.7 1144 49.7 374 16.3 202 8.8 806 35.0
Opponents 440-1212 36.3 76-253 30 249-420 59.3 1205 52.4 259 11.3 293 12.7 710 30.9
1998-1999 KOUTS GIRLS BASKETBALL STATS
Name FG FG% 3-PT 3-PT FG% FT FT% PTS PPG A APG S SPG R RPG
Erica Martin 178-352 51 10-25 40 100-129 78 466 22.2 38 1.8 69 3.3 163 7.8
Mary Gonzales 67-197 34 25-73 34 35-58 60 194 9.7 68 3.4 24 1.2 62 3.1
Jenni Bielinski 34-71 48 0-0 - 5-11 46 16 1.8 7 0.8 51 5.7 73 8.1
Andrea Amor 46-144 37 18-70 26 8-24 33 118 5.6 80 3.8 22 1.0 57 2.7
Jenny Howard 50-110 46 3-8 38 14-34 41 34 1.6 33 1.6 115 5.5 117 5.6
Lauri Wilhite 31-81 38 0-5 0.0 5-13 39 67 3.2 19 0.9 9 0.4 54 2.6
Stephanie Drazer 15-69 22 0-0 - 24-44 55 54 2.7 24 1.2 11 0.6 74 3.7
Danielle Kain 14-55 26 0-1 0.0 18-33 55 46 2.3 31 1.6 17 0.9 86 4.3
Totals 439-1095 40 56-182 31 213-352 61 1147 54.6 312 14.9 197 9.4 681 32.4
Opponents 346-1108 31 38-170 22 202-352 57 932 44.4 191 9.1 203 9.7 665 31.2 [[In-content Ad]]