Triton’s Joey Corder drives to the bucket for two of his game-high 16 points as the Trojans knocked off LaCrosse, 49-30, in the opening game of the Triton Boys Basketball Sectional Wednesday evening. (Photos by Mike Deak)

BOURBON – There was an uneasy feeling in the Trojan Trench Wednesday night. While a couple could cite the walking tacos, most Triton hoops fans had indigestion for a different reason. It took Triton into the fourth quarter to pull away from LaCrosse to avoid a colossal upset despite what looks like a 49-30 blowout in game one of the Class 1-A boys basketball sectional at Triton.

Jordan Anderson of Triton cuts through the LaCrosse defense for a layup.

Triton led LaCrosse just 30-24 in the fourth quarter and were lucky to have a six-point lead. Jordan Anderson’s huge final quarter helped the Trojans pull away. Anderson opened the fourth with his third over-the-top lob pass for a bucket, this time to Masen Yeo. Anderson then followed up with a pair of threes, his second giving Triton a 38-26 lead.

Moments later, Joey Corder hit the rack and converted an and-one to put Triton up 13, which was all she wrote.

“Our guys were a little nervous,” Triton head coach Jason Groves said. “That first round of sectional, I don’t know what it is about that first night. Our guys played a little tentative offensively. We couldn’t throw it in the ocean coming out.

“Give credit to LaCrosse. That was what I was concerned about. They are long, they limit you to one shot and they contest everything. I wasn’t totally surprised by that. Luckily our guys bounced back and found a way to get some stops defensively.”

Triton’s Austin Sellers flies in for a layup against LaCrosse.

Anderson finished with just 10 points, but seven of those came in the fourth quarter. Corder scored a game-high 16 points and added five rebounds, five steals and three assists despite missing most of the second quarter after picking up his second foul.

Yeo also had a big night driving through LaCrosse’s lane, scoring 12 points and chipping in eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal.

Triton only trailed once, 2-1, in the opening minute of the game, but opened up an 8-2 lead quickly as LaCrosse’s defense scrambled to find marks. The Tigers would battle back to trail just 17-15 and had a pair of chances to tie or take the lead late in the first half, but the Trojans scored the final six points of the half.

Getting that momentum was key for the Trojans, which improve to 16-7 and will meet Culver in Friday’s first semi-final game.

“We are experienced, and I think our experience came in when we were struggling in a lot of areas of the game,” Groves said. “They didn’t panic. I thought they were tentative offensively but we didn’t hit the panic button. We found a way to get it done. You gotta like that out of your kids. You don’t play your best and still get a victory in the sectional.”

LaCrosse closes at 6-16 and were led by the 14 points and 10 rebounds by Johnny Rosenbaum. Austin Harris added six points and three assists.

Game two of the night had Oregon-Davis stave off a late charge by Argos to capture a 47-42 victory. O-D opened with a 12-2 first quarter, and while Argos chipped the lead away, the Bobcats maintained in the fourth quarter for the advancer.

Carl Schnekenburger led Oregon-Davis (9-13) with 16 points and five rebounds. Javan Miller had 15 points, four rebounds and four assists for the Dragons, which bow out of the tournament at 8-14 overall.

Oregon-Davis will meet South Central (13-9) in the second game Friday night, with the semi-final winners meeting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the championship game.

Masen Yeo of Triton attacks the basket Wednesday night against LaCrosse.