Yeo Brothers On Similar Stages
BOURBON – If you closed your eyes and just let things happen Saturday night, you could have shaved three years off your life. With the familiar tones of Don Bell echoing through the Trojan Trench, his calls of “Basket by Yeo” has been heard for seven years. But as Clay Yeo sat and watched, it was little brother, Masen, that was drawing Bell’s welcomed announcements.
Clay Yeo will go down as one of the greatest basketball players to ever wear the blue and gold. His 1,992 points is the most to ever originate in Marshall County, and thus the most in Triton history. But Yeo wasn’t just a scoring machine, but his willingness on defense, his ability to handle the ball for someone who was 6’5″, and the athletic prowess to produce despite teams double and sometimes triple-teaming him are legendary.
Clay is still on that high level, now with Bethel College. The junior is averaging 21 points per game and has led the Pilots to an appearance in the NAIA Division II Men’s National Championship tournament. Yeo scored 21 points Thursday night as Bethel opened it’s NAIA Division II National Championship run with an 85-80 win over Robert Morris (Ill.). The Pilots play Briar Cliff (Iowa) at 5:45 p.m. this evening.
“It helps that I’ve been through it in high school,” Clay said while preparing for the tournament in Missouri earlier this week. “Especially in conference play now where every team knows your tendencies. In high school, in Class 1-A there might be a couple good football players that can match up, but in college, every team is all good players.”
Clay couldn’t help be proud of his little brother. Admitting he is Masen’s biggest critic, he wasn’t short on mentioning some things Masen could work on for the matchup with Gary 21st Century this Saturday at the Triton Boys Basketball Regional. But the analysis stopped when Masen and the Trojans hoisted the sectional trophy for the 12th time, and the first time since Clay was a senior. That year, Clay and Bethel teammate Tanner Shepherd helped the Trojans to the state finals. Shepherd was also in attendance, sitting courtside willing on the Trojans.
“It’s a brotherhood like no other,” Clay said. “It’s not just a team here, it’s family. Coach (Jason) Groves builds that family aspect, and we really do become brothers. Tanner is one of my best friends, and I see a lot of the guys still around. There were a bunch of them at the sectional game.
“Once you’re in it, you’re in it for the long haul.”
Masen has built the same bond with his current teammates, especially Jordan Anderson, which the two’s bond on the court is obvious. The two seniors were part of the state title run in 2013, and remember vividly what it took to get there.
“I remember a lot of it like yesterday,” Masen said. “I remember at semi-state (against Lafayette Central Catholic) when Clay came off the ball screen and threw it down. That was awesome. I also remember Clay in the media room at state. He didn’t cry. He just said you have to earn a state title and we came up short that day.”
Masen’s assent with the Trojans shows flashes of Bell’s 2013 calls. He can sprint to the hoops and flush, drop step and hit a three, and is required to pick up the athletic guard/forwards in Triton’s matchup defenses. His 19 points led the Trojans in the championship game against Oregon-Davis, and Masen is ready to write another chapter in the Triton history books.
“This season has been like a roller coaster, where we started slow but are finishing strong,” Masen said. “We’re not done. We know it will take all of us to win the regional, we just have to trust in each other and trust our coaches.”
Sounds like little brother is taking a page from big brother’s book.