BOURBON — Triton’s 2023-24 girls basketball season has been a work-in-progress.
That’s what third-year Trojans coach Kennedy Krull will tell you.
“We had a really rough start to the first half of our season,” said Krull, who saw her team go 3-5 in November and 5-11 during the 2023 part of the calendar. “We’ve shown great improvement.
“We’ve figured out our chemistry and jelled a little better. We’ve done a great job of making adjustments. We’ve started playing well together.”
Krull’s team went through four- and five-game losing skids early in November and December.
As Triton (9-13 overall and 4-3 in the Hoosier North Athletic Conference) prepares for the IHSAA Class 1A Culver Community Sectional, the Trojans are 4-2 during the 2024 portion of the calendar. Triton is 5-2 against 1A opponents, 3-3 vs. 2A, 1-7 against 3A and 0-1 vs. 4A.
The seven-team tournament at Culver Community opens at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time Tuesday, Jan. 30 with state-ranked Marquette Catholic against Culver Community.
On Wednesday, Jan. 31, Triton faces Trinity Greenlawn at 6:30 p.m. followed by Westville vs. Argos.
The semifinals are slated for Friday, Feb. 2 — Oregon-Davis against the Marquette/Culver Community winner at 6:30 p.m. followed by the survivors of Triton/Trinity and Westville/Argos contests.
The championship is 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3.
The winner of the Culver Community Sectional advances to regional play on Saturday, Feb. 10 at a northern site to be determined.
“We felt like we got a decent draw,” said Krull. “You can never get exactly what you want.
“We’re looking forward to taking care of business in the postseason.”
Triton beat Trinity 58-27 on Nov. 27. The Trojans also topped Argos 46-32 on Nov. 7, Oregon-Davis 64-30 on Jan. 3 and 70-32 on Jan 17 and Culver Community 45-28 on Jan. 23. Triton did not play state-ranked Marquette or Westville during the regular season.
Krull says her probable starters are seniors Addyson Viers, Jocelynn Faulkner and Jenna Bules, junior Sydney King and sophomore Sierra Hawley. The first three reserves tend to be sophomore Mylie Groves, junior Nadia Stetler and sophomore Avery Viers.
The team carries an offensive average of 41.3 and defensive average of 41.2. The squad has scored 45 or more points 10 times.
Through 21 games, Triton was led in scoring by Addyson Viers (17.3 points per game), Faulkner (6.6), King (5.5) and Hawley (5.2).
Of 75 3-pointers, King had connected for a team-best 24, followed by Addyson Viers (21), Groves (15) and Faulkner (10).
Rebounding leaders were Addyson Viers (9.0), Hawley (5.3) and Faulkner (4.3).
Addyson Viers led the Trojans in blocked shots (58) and Faulkner in steals (52) and assists (33).
As a team, Triton committed 374 turnovers through 21 games — an average of 17.8.
The coach has seen that number go down as the season has progressed.
The Trojans tend to play half-court offense and rarely push the ball while there has been an improvement in protecting the ball.
“Eliminating our transition turnovers benefitted us,” said Krull. “There is an emphasis on capitalizing on the other teams’ turnovers. If they turn it over we try to find a way on the next possession to score.”
Krull tends to have her squad in a 3-2 zone coverage with adjustments.
Since the IHSAA girls basketball tournament began in 1975-76, Triton is 48-46 including 40-24 overall and 30-19 in sectional play during the class era.
The Trojans have won seven sectional titles — the last in 2021.
Argos beat Triton in the Culver Community Sectional championship game.