While no longer conference rivals, the Triton and LaVille boys basketball teams found the time to keep the series alive with a nonconference game Tuesday night. Facing an eleven-point deficit late on the road, Triton kept on battling and went in front once and for all with six seconds left to win 49-48.
The Trojans found themselves in foul trouble early, committing three in the first minute and a half of the game. Only one of those was of the shooting variety, leading to just two points for the home side. Julian Swanson got the scoring started for the visitors with a layup on a nice move inside.
Outside of that, there wasn’t much scoring in the early going as each team struggled to take care of the basketball. Midway through the first quarter, each team had only made one shot from the field, with the Lancers leading 4-2. While the shots weren’t falling, LaVille was able to put up plenty of shots thanks to some tenacious offensive rebounding. On the other end, five straight points by Gage Riffle put Triton on top for the first time in the game.
The latter half of the quarter saw the offenses kicking it into gear a bit more, as the Trojans were able to stay in front for the time being. The Lancers weren’t far behind though, pulling back within one in the final minute of play. A fantastic pass to a cutting Landon Patrick in the final 10 seconds of the quarter put the visitors up three at 11-8 heading into the second.
That lead didn’t last long, as four quick points for LaVille to begin the following quarter put the Lancers back in front. They didn’t stop there, as the second turnover in a row led to another pair at the other end to put the home side up three. Needing a bucket badly, Riffle stayed hot and came through for his team with his second make from deep to even things up again.
However, that was only a temporary solution. Outside of that triple, Triton struggled to take care of the ball, allowing LaVille to put together some easy baskets in transition. Soon, the home lead was six, the largest of the game.
The Trojans were able to cut it back down to three with a few minutes left in the half and that’s where things stood as time continued to wind down. The visitors had multiple chances to get to within one or tie things up, but were unable to do so until the final seconds of the quarter. Jayden Overmyer came up with a steal, scored a layup and the other end and was fouled. He’d complete the three-point play at the stripe with three seconds left to knot things up at 22 apiece after two quarters of play.

    Junior Gage Riffle of Triton elevates for a shot during the first quarter of Tuesday night's game at LaVille...Nieter

A longball from Swanson opened up scoring in the third and put the visitors back on top. As had been the case for the majority of the game though, a long stretch of time went by before Triton’s next basket. This allowed the Lancers to once again come up with an answer and retake the lead.
Midway through the quarter, the triple was still the only basket made by Triton. The defense had improved, and LaVille had only scored twice, putting them up by one. That’s where things stayed for a majority of the period before Tanner Witt-Hoyo sank a pair of free throws to put the Trojans back in front.
After a shot from distance for LaVille and another pair of free throws for the visitors, things were just as they were when the third quarter began: tied. Heading into the fourth, it was anybody’s game to win.
In what had been a low-scoring game up to this point, the Lancers began the final period with a 7-0 run in the first 100 seconds to go ahead by the team’s biggest margin yet. They didn’t stop there, making it a 9-0 run that forced Triton to call timeout to try and calm things down.
It didn’t do much in terms of helping, as not long afterwards, LaVille was now up eleven, the first double-digit lead of the contest. Nearly four minutes had gone by in the fourth and Triton was still yet to score. Finally, the visitors were able to come up with an answer with a little over three and a half to play, scoring five straight points to get back within six.
With under three minutes to go, another three by Riffle made it a single digit game. After going up big, it was clear LaVille had taken its foot off the gas and seemed content to try and burn clock as opposed to staying aggressive. A pair of free throws from the home team put them back up five with two minutes to go.
Brady Wood hit a layup and was fouled himself a few seconds later to shrink the deficit down to two, but it was quickly answered on the other end. Swanson continued the trade off to keep it a two-point game with just 90 seconds remaining.
A costly Triton turnover that followed a bucket and ended up in a pair of free throws put the home team up six with a minute left. When all hope looked lost, the Trojans responded with a bucket, a steal and a three to get back to within one with just 40 seconds to go. After forcing a jump ball on the other end, Triton got the ball back with a chance to win it. With two defenders in his face, Swanson rose up for a midrange jumper from the midrange and buried it with six seconds left to take an improbable lead.
Still, LaVille had one final chance to win it at the buzzer. The Lancers drew up a good play and got a great look, but the corner jumper bounced off the rim and out to close out the comeback victory for the visitors.
Triton (7-1) is at home next Tuesday against John Glenn.