Cougars Instill Will Over Trojans
BOURBON – Once Gary 21st Century got comfortable, it really got comfortable.
Down 12-0 to start the game, the Cougars roared back to regain the lead and held off a late Triton run to claim a 74-62 victory Saturday morning in the first game of the Class 1-A Triton Boys Basketball Regional.
After falling down early, Century went on a 15-2 run of its own. When Triton started to get hot, Core’Von Lott or Eugene German would use their ultra quick hands to steal a pass and convert a layup. When Triton cut the lead to 55-50, the Cougars answered immediately with five straight points. There was just no letting up.
“As bad as I wanted to call a timeout, my assistant coaches said ‘coach we’ve been doing it all year, let them figure it out’,” said Gary 21st Century head coach Rodney Williams of the start. “They did. They calmed down. They had a lot of excess energy, and once they figured it out, they were OK. Once we got back to even, we knew we were going to be OK.”
The guard combo of Lott and German combined for 36 points and 15 steals, Lott creating havoc in the full court press and German showing why he is one of the top players in the state. German, who came in averaging 33.3 points per game, was “held” to 24 points, but he added nine rebounds, seven assists and eight of those steals.
Overall, the Cougars had four and-one conversions in the fourth quarter, the final one from DeAndre Gholston off an offensive rebound and putback to salt the game away. Gholston finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, Tyree Booker added 18 points and eight boards.
Masen Yeo did all he could to keep Triton in it, scoring 28 points before fouling out late in the fourth. In a tremendous show of class, both fan bases gave the senior a standing ovation as he walked off the Triton court for the final time. Yeo was 11-18 from the floor and was the spark for the early run Triton made. Fellow senior Jordan Anderson also concluded his career with a fine game of 16 points, five assists and four rebounds, 11 of those points coming in the fourth quarter.
Triton finishes its season 18-8 overall.
“When they would get us in transition, they would be gone,” stated Triton head coach Jason Groves. “We couldn’t get back and we couldn’t stay in front of them. They are athletic and quick, that was the key. Not just the turnovers, but them finishing.”
In regards to Yeo and Anderson finishing up at Triton, “Those kids all week have been very vocal in practice. They have been such great leaders for us all year long. That’s what you want for kids that have been vital to our program and role models. The type of basketball players you want to coach.”
Century (19-6) had a decided advantage in points off turnovers (21-2) and got to the line 30 times, making 23 whereas Triton was 10-13 from the stripe. The Cougars used eight Triton turnovers in the first half to score 11 points, helping erase the early lead and send the team to its first regional final in the program’s history.
“I was concerned about this game, playing Triton on their court,” Williams said. “I was really concerned about the first game, so I didn’t spend any time on the second game. My guys are a great group of kids, they take one challenge at a time, but they will be ready for tonight. I promise you that.”
In game two, South Newton (24-2) advanced to the regional final by defeating Fort Wayne Blackhawk 51-46. Skylar Sanders led the Rebels with 14 points and Craig Wheelock and Jared Hammel each scored 11 points. For Blackhawk (16-12), Drake Thompson finished with 15 points and William Davidson had 11 points.
Tonight’s champion will hoist its first regional title as neither team has won a regional in the respective program histories.