Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
BOURBON- Triton head coach Mike McBride believed his team was playing it's best basketball heading into Tuesday night's sectional opener against John Glenn.
For the first 16 minutes it looked as though the Trojans were playing some of their shakiest.
Earlier in the season the Falcons pulled out a 63-61 win in Bourbon. This time they were technically the home team but found no home court advantage.
Triton rode a strong third quarter led by juniors Todd Blackford and Braxton Barton to a 55-50 win to stay alive in March.
The Trojans got off to a strong start opening the game 4-0.
Then with 2:28 left in the opening quarter Glenn's Corey Pulluaim changed the momentum with one shot. The senior guard nailed a three-pointer, was fouled in the process and converted on the free throw. This added to what turned out to be a 13-2 run by the Falcons to give them a 17-11 lead after the first eight minutes.
Triton was kept in it early by the play of their lone senior starter, Adam Wanemacher. He scored five of his seven points in that quarter to keep his team in shouting distance.
"Wanemacher is the glue that keeps us together. He's a kid that comes in on his own at 7 a.m. every morning before the lights in the gym are on to work on his shot. I'm just glad I can coach him for another game," said McBride.
It looked early as if McBride would have to say his goodbyes preemptively.
The second quarter was much like the first. Triton struggled from the field while Glenn was the model of consistency.
The Trojans were their own worst enemies in the first half. They played at such a furious pace they made costly turnovers and took quick or ill-advised shots.
Pulluaim was aided by super sophomore Brandon Egger. The forward gave Triton fits all night as he finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
The combination of Pulluaim and Egger scored 37 of the team's 50 points.
Triton went into the half down 30-21 and looked completely out of sync.
"We missed a lot of shots early," said McBride. "Maybe a little bit of it was nerves. At halftime I chewed them out about not blocking out. They are emotional and sometimes can't control it."
That emotion was used to a positive in a third quarter that saved Triton's season. The catalyst was junior Braxton Barton. The program lists the guard at 5-foot-8, which is probably generous. But his play was anything but small. He hit 3 of 4 from behind the arc in the second half.
With the Trojans making shots they were able to fully use a press that frustrated Glenn as the game wore on. They quickly erased the nine-point deficit and trailed by only one at 32-31 after Barton nailed a three that sent the crowd into frenzy.
The Glenn fans went into frenzy on the next possession after Pulluaim was fouled once again by Barton on a three point shot. While unable to convert he did nail the free throws to create a four-point cushion. Wanemacher was able to tie the game at 41-all as the quarter expired when he hit a runner in the lane.
The fourth quarter saw both teams become more deliberate on offense. When Blackford hit two free throws at 7:49 it gave Triton its first lead since the opening quarter at 43-41.
Barton hit his final three of the evening to make it a 46-42 lead. After the shot he pointed at a Triton cheering section that silenced Glenn's student section that singled out Barton for their ire all night.
They quickly reemerged when Egger hit two straight shots to tie the game with less than three minutes left to play.
Both teams were unable to pull ahead for the next minute and a half. Triton called a time out with 1:30 left.
"We set up the play for Blackford, it was supposed to be in the post," said McBride afterwards.
Instead he flared out to the corner where he nailed a three that turned out to be the game winner.
"This time of year everyone knows each other and playmakers have to come up with big plays and he did."
Blackford finished the night with 21 points.
Junior Kyle Bell was just 1 for 3 from the field but hit four straight free throws to seal the game and move Triton into a Friday night rematch with Bremen. The Lions topped Jimtown 53-47 in the evening's first game. With just: 25 seconds left and up by five Bell ran a break and instead of pulling the ball out drove and drew contact with Pulluaim. The call luckily went to Triton. McBride knows that with this group of kids that's how they play.
"We tell them to go," said McBride. "We just have to trust their decisions. But this group just loves to run up and down the court."
That will be the key against Gary Hudson's Bremen squad who lost to Triton 54-49.
"We know (Bremen is going to be well prepared. The key is going to be the tempo of the game. We need to control that," said McBride.
Triton now 12-9 will play the first game while Laville (5-15) and North Judson (3-17) play the nightcap.
TRITON 55, GLENN 50
Triton 11 10 20 14 - 55
Glenn 17 13 11 9 - 50
TRITON FG FT A S R PTS
Wanemacher* 3-5 1-3 1 1 2 7
Blackford* 5-12 6-7 3 3 7 21
Bell* 1-3 7-8 0 2 5 9
Barton* 5-9 2-2 3 2 2 16
Moore* 1-10 0-0 2 0 6 2
Watkins 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 15-40 16-20 9 8 22 55
GLENN FG FT A S R PTS
Pulluaim* 4-17 4-4 1 0 1 14
Egger* 9-15 4-8 1 1 10 23
Piotrowicz* 1-3 0-0 0 0 1 2
Horvath* 1-5 0-0 0 0 2 2
Crone* 0-2 2-2 1 0 3 2
Futa 3-4 1-2 1 0 6 7
Mosson 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 18-46 11-16 4 1 23 50
Three point goals: Triton 5-10 (Barton 4-5, Blackford 1-2, Wanemacher 0-1, Bell 0-1, Moore 0-1) Glenn 2-9 (Pulluaim 2-7, Horvath 0-1, Crone 0-1). Turnovers: Triton 9 Glenn 11. Team Fouls: Triton 17 Glenn 17. Fouled Out: None. Technical Fouls: None
