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Triton basketball continues to build off success STATE VETERAN — Triton boys basketball coach, Jason Groves, took the Trojans to the state championship game for the fifth time in his coaching tenure.
BLOND MOMENT — Triton senior Isaac Quintana, left, joined his teammates by dyeing his hair blond for the semistate and state championship games. Photos by Nathan Pace.
By NATHAN PACE Staff Writer
become better people, better basketball players. If you had told me at the beginning of the season we would be playing The Triton boys basketball program in Indianapolis I would have thought you reached its fifth state championship were crazy. They have really grown and game in program history this season and are playing well at the right time.” While some small schools can reach coach Jason Groves is thankful for how the community supported its postseason the state title game by having one player become a generational talent, Triton does run. “I’ve been blessed with some really not fit the category. Not a single player from the Trojans good basketball playeven made the balers. We’ve had kids in lot for Indiana Alla community that enStar voting. College joys basketball, loves recruitment among basketball. They put the players has been time and effort into light, with nearby it. They support it. Grace College reWhen you have that, cruiting one member kids want to play and of the team in senior they want to get betGage Riffle. ter. That combination “It’s a testament of having good kids to how we work as and community supa team,” Riffle said. port and just the buy“There is nobody in from our success. I that is considered think success breeds our best player besuccess.” DEFENDING THE TRENCH cause everybody Triton, named for — Opposing teams have strughas the potential to being a consolidagled to score at the Trojan Trench score 20 on any givtion of three towns in where Triton only lost once on its en night.” Bourbon, Tippecanoe home court this season. Defense is typicaland Etna Green, has ly a team strength of less than 300 stuthe Trojans as they dents at the school. While bigger schools can reload after a held opponents to under 40 points per talented senior class graduates, Groves game this season. Senior Landon Patrick has found a way to keep the Trojans says Groves deserves all the credit for the competitive despite having less depth way Triton defends. “I think Groves really is the main key through player development. “Just the growth for these kids point of Triton basketball. You’re not gothroughout the year,” Groves said, “I feel ing to play for him if you can’t play dethat on the court and off the court they fense and that’s kind of what we base our
game on,” Patrick said. Triton finished the year with a 25-4 record. While the Trojans were favorites to advance out of its sectional, the team pulled off a 53-51 stunner over Marquette Catholic in the regional Saturday, March 14. This was when Patrick and senior Julian Swanson came up with an idea for team chemistry by dyeing their hair blonde. “Me and Julian Swanson started talking about it in one of our classes that if we win regionals we should all dye it. At first it was a couple of guys but it was pretty cool to see all the guys get it done.” The blond Trojans made it through the semistate Saturday, March 21, with wins over Tri-County and North Vermillion. The success meant Triton was going to state for the first time since 2013. “You’re just happy for a new group of kids,” Groves said. “I think they were 4 or 5 the last time we went down there so they don’t really remember that. It’s just great seeing the hand work and dedication these kids put in pay off.” Triton lost to Barr-Reeve in the title game 50-37 Saturday, March 28. The Trojans were tied with the Vikings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis at halftime. BarrReeve made its run late in the third quarter to NEW TROPHY— Triton added its fifth semistate trophy to its trophy case this season.
secure the state title. Groves has had bigger schools reach out to him about coaching their programs in the past but don’t expect Groves to leave Triton anytime soon. “The grass isn’t always greener,” Groves said. “This is a great community. The administrators here are great. We have it really good here at Triton. It’s a good school corporation. My wife is from here too. This where we want to be.”