BOURBON - With the help of some underclassmen, Triton High School's seniors won another boys baskeball sectional championship Saturday night.
In a dominating 65-37 win over the Westville Blackhawks, the Class 1A No. 2 Trojans got 28 points and seven rebounds from sophomore Clay Yeo and 12 points and stellar defensive play from sophomore Quentyn Carpenter.The play of Yeo and Carpenter, as well as an eight-assist performance by junior Zak Shively, led Triton to its fourth-straight sectional championship and ninth overall.
"It's an honor," Triton coach Jason Groves said of his team's sectional dominance. "It's not easy to win a sectional in Indiana, and these seniors have never lost a sectional game. I'm so proud of the kids."
The Trojans, now 20-3 on the season, will take a 15-game winning streak into regional action against the Pioneer Panthers (15-9) Saturday at approximately 12:30 p.m.
Pioneer beat Caston 42-35 to win the Tri-West Sectional.
Saturday's first regional semifinal game at Triton High School will tip off at 10:30 a.m. and will feature No. 3 Fort Wayne Canterbury (17-4) and eighth-ranked Morgan Township (19-4).
"We got off to a great start," said Groves, whose team led 16-9 after one quarter of play and 35-18 at halftime while making 13 of its first 20 field goal attempts. "We were a lot more relaxed and played a lot looser. Clay came ready to play. And our other sophomore, Quentyn Carpenter, hit some threes and really stepped up to the defensive challenge."
Yeo scored 11 points in Friday's semifinal win over South Central, a game in which the Trojans got off to a slow start offensively and trailed 16-5 after one quarter of play.
In Saturday's title game, the 6-foot-5 forward scored 11 points in the first quarter and had 20 points by halftime on 7-of-7 shooting from the field and a 5-of-5 effort from the free throw line.
Yeo was just 2 of 7 from the field in the second half, but by then, he and the Trojans had already done their damage.
"He came ready to play," Groves said of Yeo, whose 28 points was a career high. "I think he played with a chip on his shoulder. He didn't think he played well Friday night."
Carpenter scored his 12 points on four treys, finishing the game 4 of 4 from the arc.
The 5-10 guard also made his presence felt on defense, as he helped slow Westville sharpshooter Dan Warnke.
Fresh off a 27-point performance against Argos in a semifinal game Friday that included a 7-of-12 effort from the arc, Warnke scored just five points against the Trojans and was 2 of 7 from the field overall and 1 of 6 from three-point range.
"Quentyn was up to the challenge," said Groves.
The Blackhawks, who finished the season with an 11-12 record, were 13 of 43 (30 percent) from the field overall, 3 of 13 from three-point range, and 8 of 12 at the charity stripe.
Senior Reilly Wilson led Westville wtih 16 points and six rebounds, but was just 6 of 18 from the field. Senior Jesse Mills added five points in the loss, while junior Kevin Stone-Tharp chipped in with four points.
The Trojans, on the other hand, fared much better shooting the ball and were 23 of 42 (55 percent) from the field overall, 5 of 12 from the arc, and 14 of 19 from the free throw line.
Triton, which dished out 13 assists as a team, also outrebounded Westville 35-22.
"I think South Central just kind of ticked them off Friday night," said Westville coach William Berger. They played a lot better tonight. They've got a lot of weapons, a lot of basketball IQ. I give them a lot of credit."
Senior Blake Lemler scored seven points for Triton, while classmate Griffyn Carpenter added five points and five rebounds and senior Austin Davis chipped in with four points and four rebounds.
After outscoring the Blackhawks 15-6 in the third quarter, Triton led 50-24.
Through 24 minutes of action, Yeo alone held a two-point lead over Westville.
With the game out of reach, the Blackhawks scored 13 of their 37 points in the fourth quarter.
TRITON 65, WESTVILLE 37
W 9 9 6 13 - 37
T 16 19 15 15 - 65
Westville - Christian Porter 0-0 0-0 0, Luke Bell 1-1 0-0 3, Dan Warnke 2-7 0-0 5, Ryan Gumns 0-0 0-0 0, Brian Popp 0-0 0-0 0, Kevin Stone-Tharp 1-3 2-2 4, Jesse Mills 1-9 3-7 5, Glen Cole 1-2 0-0 2, Skyler Rippe 1-2 0-0 2, Mike Grylewicz 0-0 0-0 0, Reilly Wilson 6-18 3-3 16, Harold Grounds 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 13-43 8-12 37.
