Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
BOURBON - It has been 34 years since Triton's boys basketball team has won a #regional championship, and the same number of years since the Trojans have played in the regional round of the state tournament. Now all that separates them from their second regional championship in school history is a mere 32 minutes of basketball.
In 1965 Triton won the Logansport Regional and went on to beat Cloverdale 70-67 in the semifinal round of the Lafayette Semistate before falling to Gary Roosevelt 103-61 in the championship. The Trojans went 20-6 that year under coach Tony Newell.
Current first-year coach Joe Bennett may teach advanced math classes at Triton High School, but Wednesday night over steak and a plate of nachos, the 29-year-old was asked how up-to-date he was on his history.
Bennett was able to name at least four of the players on Triton's regional championship team from nearly three and a half decades ago.
"There's a picture of that team at the school," said Bennett. "The kids on that team went to semistate and they appreciate that history."
The few names the young coach stumbled through freshman coach Dave Carpenter helped him with. Carpenter has been with the Triton program for 14 years and has lived in the area all his life. The longtime assistant tried to put into words what this year's sectional championship means to the community.
"I told the guys after we won the sectionals they might not understand what this means to the community," said Carpenter. "We're tired of going to Warsaw and getting our brains beat out. I think if you were at the gym after the sectionals everybody stayed. We've had some teams that should've won."
If the Trojans are to win tonight they will have to fend off a 12-11 Morgan Township team that only turns the ball over an average of 13 times per contest.
"Overall as a team our offense has to be efficient," said Bennett. "They (Morgan Township) are not going to turn the ball over very much. You can't single one person on the team out. Everyone will be responsible to see that that gets done."
The Cherokees went 4-6 in their first 10 games but have won six of their last eight.
"They started off slow but lately they've been playing well," said Bennett. "They've played good competition in Michigan City, South Central and they played in a good sectional. (Kevin) Greiger, (Ben) Bucher and (Jeremy) Neuschafer are their top three scorers, and they have guys who propel them on."
The three aforementioned Morgan Township players account for an average of 39.7 points per contest. Morgan Township as a team averages 58.8 points per contest.
Triton is led by two double-figure scorers in Matt Savill with 14.1 points per game and Brandon Zeider at 12.6 points per game. Triton scores an average of 58 points per contest and allows their opponents to score 55.8 points per contest.
Bennett, who not only picked the guacomole off of his nachos but the green peppers out of his bowl of chili, was asked if he was superstitious.
"I'll probably wear that tie my wife got me," said Bennett. "There's no special significance, just the one I've worn when we've won."
Bennett coached the junior varsity team at NorthWood High School for six years. NorthWood's girls basketball coach, Steve Neff, is known for wearing the same sweater when his team wins in the state tournament and he'll be coaching in the state championship tomorrow night.
