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BOURBON - With South Central, Triton's first-round sectional opponent, watching the Trojans and the Oregon-Davis Bobcats battle, Triton put on a show in jumping out to a 16-point first quarter lead and running away with a 67-40 win Tuesday.
The Trojans made four three-pointers in the opening period, and Nick Treber scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds in the first eight minutes as Triton jumped out to a quick lead.
Andy Westafer and Treber both scored 14 points for Triton, and Treber ended up with eight rebounds. Kyle Gould also ended with eight rebounds and added five assists.
More importantly, though, Triton held Oregon-Davis' top scoring guard, Jody Blum, to just eight points. Blum had just two points through the first three quarters of action. John Fosler turned in the Bobcats' top game with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Jerry Paegel had 10 points and 10 boards.
"The reason we had a quick start is because we played well defensively," Triton head coach Kevin O'Rourke said. "When we do the job defensively, we're an awfully good offensive team. Our defensive intensity was exceptional, our positioning was really good, we blocked out well, we took the most charges I've probably seen us take in three years."
The Trojans and Bobcats traded baskets for the first two minutes of action until the score was tied at 4-4. Then the Trojans took off. Over the next five minutes, Triton outscored Oregon-Davis 20-2 as Matt Savill, Derek Ganshorn, Westafer and Gould each hit treys. The Trojans held Oregon-Davis to just eight shot attempts in the first period and outrebounded the Bobcats 12-3.
The run ended when Fosler hit a jumper with 36 seconds left to make the score 24-8 after the first period.
In the second quarter, Triton's offense slowed down a bit, but the defense picked up. Oregon-Davis' only points in the period came on a three-pointer from Levi Wilson with 1:41 left in the half.
Triton got baskets from four different players in the period to extend the lead to 24 points at 35-11 at the break. The Trojans held the first-half rebounding edge 26-12.
"It's just a mindset," O'Rourke said. "We forced them into contested perimeter shots, and we blocked out to rebound the basketball. This game is an extremely simple game, but it's not an easy game. If you do the little things right, and you work hard, it pays off."
Oregon-Davis never got closer than 21 points in the second half as Triton kept the Bobcats at bay by keeping the turnovers down and making 46 percent from the field. Oregon-Davis did score 29 points in the second half.
"We let up just a little bit," O'Rourke said. "We're peaking at the right time, but we don't have the luxury to let up even 10 percent defensively. It has to be a maximum effort at all times."
Triton (7-12) has now won three games in a row and will end the regular season Friday at winless Culver before Triton Sectional action begins on Tuesday. Triton doesn't play until Wednesday against South Central.
