BOURBON - The Triton Trojans definitely acted like they'd been there before.
As time expired in their 46-43 Class 1A Sectional 50 final win over South Central (Union Mills), the third-ranked Trojans acted like a team that had just won its third-straight sectional title.But it was with the help of two freshmen in their first sectional final that Triton got the job done.
Freshman Clay Yeo scored six straight points for Triton, including a two-handed jam to end the third quarter and push Triton's lead to 39-34 heading into the fourth quarter.
South Central was never able to get within a possession of Triton until guard Alex Clemons hit a three as time expired.
The Satellites jumped out to a 12-11 first-quarter lead without any scoring by 6-foot-9 senior Jake Kitchell.
Kitchell, who will be playing at Indiana State next season, was content to create opportunities for his teammates.
Matt Walker scored six of his eight points in the first quarter as South Central jumped out to a 12-8 lead.
Triton responded with another freshman as Quentyn Carpenter nailed a three to end the first quarter and draw Triton to within one at 12-11.
Carpenter's three came after his previous shot was blocked about four rows into the bleachers by Kitchell.
"We told the them to just keep attacking (Kitchell)", said Triton coach Jason Groves. "I said you might get your shot blocked but to keep attacking."
And that's what Triton did, while Kitchell finished with six blocked shots, the Trojans continued to attack the basket.
Quentyn Carpenter nailed another three, this time at the end of the second quarter, to keep Triton within two points at 22-20 at halftime.
Triton began to build momentum in the second half as their leading scorer Griffyn Carpenter got out of an early shoot funk.
Triton Junior Griffyn Carpenter hit two threes in the third quarter and added four points in the fourth quarter to end with a team-high 12 points.
"It's all because of my teammates," said Griffyn Carpenter. "I knew if I just kept shooting I'd start to hit shots. And it was because of (my teammates') praise that I had the confidence."
While two freshman and a junior had a big hand in Triton's third straight sectional crown, two seniors made sure Saturday night wasn't their last game in the Trojan Trench.
Taran Holderman scored 10 points, while fellow senior Ben Montalbano had six points, seven assists and five rebounds.
Yeo finished with 10 points and Quentyn Carpenter had six. Austin Davis rounded out the scoring for the Trojans with two points.
Kitchell ended with a game-high 18 points and 10 rebounds in a losing effort.
Walker ended the game with eight points as did Eric Baum.
After the game, Groves said his players might have been a little more relieved than excited to have won the sectional.
"I think that's fair because of our expectations and this being our third in a row," said Groves. "But I told the kids not to take this moment for granted."
Triton won its seventh straight against South Central. In fact, the last time Triton lost to South Central was at the end of the 1980-81 season. On that Triton team was Jack Carpenter, the father of current Trojans Griffyn and Quentyn and Jay Montalbano, father of Ben.
As the Trojans look to hosting this weekend's regional it is still unclear who they will face.
Fort Wayne Canterbury and Blackhawk Christian vie for the fourth spot in Triton's regional tonight. The game was pushed back to tonight because Canterbury's girls team was in the state finals.
Triton (22-2) will play the winner of that game at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
In the first game, Bowman Academy (20-1) will take on Pioneer (12-10) at 10:30 a.m.
Bowman looks like a team on a mission after scoring 100, 110 and 98 points, respectively, in three sectional games.
Bowman fell 60-58 to Triton in last year's regional final, though it wasn't without controversy.
Highly-touted freshman DaJuan Marrero was suspended for that game after picking up two technical fouls in the first game against Caston.
After the game, Bowman coach Marvin Rea asked to replay the game, saying Marrero's technical fouls weren't flagrant or unsportsmanlike.
South Central - Alex Clemons 2-4 0-0 5, Matt Walker 4-9 0-0 8, Sam Konieczny 1-1 0-0 2, Ricky Rugby 1-2 0-2 2, Jake Kitchell 8-13 2-3 18, Eric Baum 4-12 0-0 8. Totals 20-41 2-5 43
Three-point goals - Triton 6 (G. Carpenter 2, Q. Carpenter 2, Holderman 2), South Central 1 (Clemons).
Rebounds - Triton 21 (Montalbano 5, Holderman 4, Yeo 4), South Central 33 (Kitchell 10). Turnovers - Triton 9, South Central 21. Assists - Triton 12 (Montalbano 7), South Central 5 (Baum 2). Fouls - Triton 9, South Central 15. Fouled out - None.
