Trojans To Face Pumas For State Title
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
Triton is playing in the Class 1A state finals for the third time in four years, and at 10:30 a.m. the Trojans will put their 18-game win streak on the line at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis against the unranked Indianapolis Metropolitan Pumas.[[In-content Ad]]Triton takes a 23-3 record into the game and hasn't lost since a 55-43 setback to perennial Class 4A power Warsaw on Dec. 21.
Metropolitan, a charter school located on Indy's west side, is in just its fourth season of varsity basketball. The Pumas have won 13 of their last 14 games and boast a record of 21-6.
"They're really quick and scrappy," senior Austin Davis said of the Pumas. "They hit the boards hard, and they score a lot of points on offensive rebounds. We have to block out."
The Trojans, who won a state championship in 2008 and were runners-up a year later, advanced to this year's state finals by beating South Central and Westville in the sectional, Pioneer and Morgan Township in the regional and Rockville in the semistate.
Metropolitan's path to Conseco Fieldhouse includes sectional wins over Bethesda Christian, University and Fall Creek Academy, regional wins over Southwestern and Shawe Memorial, and a semistate victory over North Daviess.
"They're quick and scrappy, and they really get after you on defense," senior Jordan Everett said of Metropolitan. "If we take care of the ball, I think we'll be OK, but we have to come ready to play. They're in the state championship game for a reason."
After winning their three sectional games by an average of 20 points, the Pumas survived the Martinsville Regional by beating Southwestern 47-44 and Shawe Memorial 64-61.
The three-point win over Shawe Memorial has received national attention, as Jerrbryon Graves' 3/4-court buzzer beater was the top play on ESPN's SportsCenter.
"I feel bad for Shawe Memorial," said Everett.
Metropolitan's eight-man roster includes seven seniors and one freshman.
The Pumas average 67 points per game as a team and have three players that average in double figures - Raymond Green (19.8 ppg), Anthony Jackson (12.1), and Graves (11).
"They only have eight guys, but they come at you constantly," Triton coach Jason Groves said of the Pumas. "They want to force you into a turnover, and they want to get to the basket. They don't have a kid that plays with his back to the basket. They are very athletic."
The Trojans average a modest 57 points per game, but only allow their opponents an average of 42 points per contest.
The most points Triton has given up this season is 59, which came in a three-point win in overtime over Northern State Conference opponent New Prairie on Jan. 18.
"We have to do the things that got us here," said Groves. "We're going to play defense and take advantage of what they give us."
Senior Griffyn Carpenter, the program's all-time leading scorer, paces Triton with 19 points per game, while sophomore Clay Yeo chips in with 16 points per contest.
Saturday will mark the third time Carpenter has played in the state finals.
In his storied prep career, the Trojans are 94-11 overall, 35-7 in conference play and have won four sectionals, three regionals, three semistates and one state championship.
During that same span, Metropolitan is 49-41, and the Pumas won the program's first sectional championship this season.
"That 2008 group really set the table," Groves said of the program's four-year tournament success. "That group taught us how to win, they really set the standard. And these current players bought in. They learned how to play defense, they've learned how to be unselfish. I don't want to be cliche, but success really does breed success."
In his six seasons of being Triton's head coach, Groves owns a record of 119-29 overall and a state tournament mark of 22-4.
Triton is playing in the Class 1A state finals for the third time in four years, and at 10:30 a.m. the Trojans will put their 18-game win streak on the line at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis against the unranked Indianapolis Metropolitan Pumas.[[In-content Ad]]Triton takes a 23-3 record into the game and hasn't lost since a 55-43 setback to perennial Class 4A power Warsaw on Dec. 21.
Metropolitan, a charter school located on Indy's west side, is in just its fourth season of varsity basketball. The Pumas have won 13 of their last 14 games and boast a record of 21-6.
"They're really quick and scrappy," senior Austin Davis said of the Pumas. "They hit the boards hard, and they score a lot of points on offensive rebounds. We have to block out."
The Trojans, who won a state championship in 2008 and were runners-up a year later, advanced to this year's state finals by beating South Central and Westville in the sectional, Pioneer and Morgan Township in the regional and Rockville in the semistate.
Metropolitan's path to Conseco Fieldhouse includes sectional wins over Bethesda Christian, University and Fall Creek Academy, regional wins over Southwestern and Shawe Memorial, and a semistate victory over North Daviess.
"They're quick and scrappy, and they really get after you on defense," senior Jordan Everett said of Metropolitan. "If we take care of the ball, I think we'll be OK, but we have to come ready to play. They're in the state championship game for a reason."
After winning their three sectional games by an average of 20 points, the Pumas survived the Martinsville Regional by beating Southwestern 47-44 and Shawe Memorial 64-61.
The three-point win over Shawe Memorial has received national attention, as Jerrbryon Graves' 3/4-court buzzer beater was the top play on ESPN's SportsCenter.
"I feel bad for Shawe Memorial," said Everett.
Metropolitan's eight-man roster includes seven seniors and one freshman.
The Pumas average 67 points per game as a team and have three players that average in double figures - Raymond Green (19.8 ppg), Anthony Jackson (12.1), and Graves (11).
"They only have eight guys, but they come at you constantly," Triton coach Jason Groves said of the Pumas. "They want to force you into a turnover, and they want to get to the basket. They don't have a kid that plays with his back to the basket. They are very athletic."
The Trojans average a modest 57 points per game, but only allow their opponents an average of 42 points per contest.
The most points Triton has given up this season is 59, which came in a three-point win in overtime over Northern State Conference opponent New Prairie on Jan. 18.
"We have to do the things that got us here," said Groves. "We're going to play defense and take advantage of what they give us."
Senior Griffyn Carpenter, the program's all-time leading scorer, paces Triton with 19 points per game, while sophomore Clay Yeo chips in with 16 points per contest.
Saturday will mark the third time Carpenter has played in the state finals.
In his storied prep career, the Trojans are 94-11 overall, 35-7 in conference play and have won four sectionals, three regionals, three semistates and one state championship.
During that same span, Metropolitan is 49-41, and the Pumas won the program's first sectional championship this season.
"That 2008 group really set the table," Groves said of the program's four-year tournament success. "That group taught us how to win, they really set the standard. And these current players bought in. They learned how to play defense, they've learned how to be unselfish. I don't want to be cliche, but success really does breed success."
In his six seasons of being Triton's head coach, Groves owns a record of 119-29 overall and a state tournament mark of 22-4.
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