Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
ELKHART - Triton got a close look at one of the best players around that no one has heard of Tuesday night.
Brandon Craiger, who is averaging more than 20 points per game this year, lit up the scoreboard for 30 points, 18 in the first half, in leading Elkhart Baptist by Triton 87-70 in boys basketball action.
"Craiger had a heck of a night tonight," Triton head coach Kevin O'Rourke said. "He was on fire. He was a man among boys tonight, and we did nothing to stop him. Sometimes a guy gets in a zone and when you're that big (6-foot-4) and you can shoot the ball like he did tonight, it's hard to defend. He had a great night, and this is something he'll remember for the rest of his life."
Craiger knocked in 14 of 21 shots in the game and had the help of a strong supporting cast to get by the Trojans. Kevin Walter torched Triton for 22 points and filled up the box score with five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Drew Ryall added 11 points, four assists and three rebounds for the Eagles.
Triton fell behind 39-25 with 3:30 to play in the second quarter when Craiger left the game for the rest of the half with his second personal foul. From that point, the Trojans began to assert themselves and went on an 11-3 run to close out the half. Kyle Gould led the stampede with seven points in the final three minutes to close the gap to six points at 42-36.
"We didn't compete defensively in the first half," O'Rourke said. "We got ourselves in such a hole that we had to start scrambling defensively and try to make something happen."
Walter opened the second half by knocking in a three-pointer for the Eagles, but Matt Savill scored all seven points in a 7-2 run to close to 47-43 midway through the third. However, Triton would get no closer the rest of the game as Ryall scored a three-point play to ignite Elkhart Baptist to a 63-51 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final eight minutes, Triton could get no closer than 11 points as the Eagles cruised to victory.
Savill led Triton with 13 points on six of eight shooting, and Gould had 11 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Austin Unterbrink had six points and dished out six assists for the Trojans.
Triton shot a sparkling 52 percent, but Elkhart Baptist hit at a 60 percent clip by getting many easy layups. The Eagles committed only seven fouls and did not allow Triton to shoot a free throw in the second half.
"We knew coming in they were a good team," O'Rourke said. "We didn't take them lightly, I can guarantee you that. We did not overlook them. But it's only our third game of the year and there's nowhere to go but up. It's a loss but it doesn't affect our conference chances, it doesn't affect our sectional chances. We can either make ourselves better by it or we can decide not to. I'm voting on the first."
Triton (1-2) will host Plymouth on Friday.
