Junior scores 16 in 4Q, including game-winning basket
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Dale Hubler-dhubler@timesuniononline.com
BOURBON – Five seemed to be the magic number Saturday night for Triton High School's varsity boys basketball team. Led by the standout player wearing jersey No. 5, the fifth-ranked Trojans won their fifth-straight Class 1A sectional championship. Junior Clay Yeo, playing as if he were a senior trying to keep his prep career alive, scored 16 of Triton's 19 points in the fourth quarter, including the game-winner with just under seven seconds remaining, as the Trojans defeated a scrappy Michigan City Marquette Catholic team 56-55. Yeo finished the game – one that was a blowout in the first half before turning into a classic back-and-forth battle down the stretch – with 30 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. "My teammates trust me with the ball," said Yeo, who is now just 53 points shy of 2011 graduate Griffyn Carpenter's program record of 1,327 career points. "I'm thankful they trust me with the ball. I just wanted to help us win." The 6-foot-5 Valparaiso University-bound forward certainly did that. He knotted the game at 54-all with a pair of free throws with 32 seconds remaining. Marquette Catholic freshman JoVonte Peals gave the Blazers a 55-54 advantage when he converted 1 of 2 charity tosses with 21 seconds to play. Yeo then came through with the game-winner with 6.8 seconds on the clock, scoring on a lob-pass on an inbound play. Marquette Catholic freshman Ryan Fazekas had a chance for some heroics of his own, but his shot rimmed out as time expired. "This is special," said seventh-year Triton coach Jason Groves, who upped his career record to 138-35. "We lost four of five starters from last year's team (that went to state). We struggled in the summer to get wins, but the guys have sucked it up the last few weeks and did what we need to do. They say success breeds success, I really believe that." Sophomore Tanner Shepherd added nine points in the win, including a three-pointer in the fourth quarter that gave Triton a 52-50 lead. Senior Zak Shively and sophomore Cody Shively scored six points each for the Trojans. With the win, Triton improved to 19-5 on the season and will play No. 4 Kouts (19-3) at approximately in noon in Saturday's regional at Triton High School. Marquette Catholic finished its season with a 13-10 record. Pioneer (19-5) will play either Fort Wayne Canterbury (16-6) or Fort Wayne Blackhawk (8-15) in the first regional semifinal game at 10:30 a.m. Saturday night's sectional final in Fort Wayne was postponed, due to Cantbury's girls team playing in the state finals. Triton scored the first seven points of the game against Marquette Catholic, and the Trojans looked right at home playing on their home floor. They led 12-6 after one quarter of play and 32-16 at halftime. Things were a little different in the third quarter, however, as the Blazers outscored Triton 20-5 in the frame and trailed just 37-36 heading into the fourth. Both teams scored 19 points in the final frame. "I thought we showed some amazing perseverance to come back from being down 16 at halftime," said Marquette Catholic coach Donovan Garletts. "It hurts a little, but we're ready to get to work and come back next year. We showed that Marquette basketball isn't what it used to be. We're on an upward path, and the kids are hungry already." Jasmin Biberovic, a 6-8 junior, led the Blazers with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while junior Jaylen Jemison added 12 points and Tommy Anderson chipped in with seven points. Adeleke Solanke added six points and 10 rebounds for Marquette, while Fazekas contributed six points and six boards.
