Class 2A, No. 6 Triton Central tops Scecina for second consecutive sectional title

CHARLOTTESVILLE – Class 2A, No. 6 Triton Central did not panic early when No. 10 Indianapolis Scecina raced out to an 8-3 lead early Saturday in the Sectional 43 championship game at Eastern Hancock High School.

Triton Central settled in, outscored the Crusaders 36-21 to hold a 10-point lead with 91 seconds left on the clock. Scecina then created chaos and made the Tigers work until the final seconds.

The Crusaders created five fourth quarter turnovers and hit 7 of 11 free throws to get as close as 41-37 with 11 seconds to go. Eli Sego made three free throws from there to seal a 44-39 victory.

It was just the third time the Crusaders, who averaged 66 ppg this season, were held under 50 points – twice by Triton Central.

“The kids showed a lot of character. They played hard,” said Triton Central head coach Mark James. “I told you before the game I thought we would be turning the ball over – that might be the most we’ve turned it over all year. They found a way to fight through all that. I thought we rebounded pretty well and hit our free throws when we needed to.”

Triton Central (22-3) will face Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter (14-12) at 7 p.m. Saturday in a Class 2A regional championship game at Greenfield-Central. The Raiders defeated University, 71-56, in the Sectional 42 championship game.

Henry Kemper (photo) hit a pair of three-pointers in the opening quarter Saturday as the Crusaders worked to keep Eli Sego (22 ppg) in check.

“I don’t shoot very much but coach told me if I’m open, I need to shoot it,” said Kemper. “I felt pretty open and I hit one in each game earlier in the sectional, so I decided to shoot it and hit. So I decided to shoot another one.”

Sego drilled a long 3 to start the second quarter scoring and tied the game at 11-all. Kemper added a pair of free throws late in the quarter to get the Tigers a 19-18 lead at halftime.

Both teams battled for control in the third quarter but it was low scoring and nothing was decided. The Tigers led 27-23.

A 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter finally created separation for Triton Central. Grant Long (photo) started and finished the run with baskets in the lane. Jackson Faust sank a wing 3 and Kemper scored his 10^th point of the game to extend the lead to 36-23.

Scecina (18-7) rallied to score the next six points and four free throws in an 8-second stretch got the Crusaders back to 39-33.

Brayden Hoover (photo) hit two shots to keep the Crusaders at bay but turnovers created by desperate pressure made the Tigers continue to work for their second consecutive sectional title.

“We weren’t boxing out. We weren’t doing what we were doing earlier in the game,” said Kemper. “It made it close but shouldn’t have.”

Scecina, who hit a pair of 3s in the first quarter, made just 1 of 15 over the final three quarters. The Crusaders shot 34% from the field.

Triton Central won the rebounding battle, 20-12, and shot 52% from the field while taking just 29 shots.

Sego led the Tigers with 12 points and seven rebounds. Kemper also had seven rebounds to go with 10 points. Hoover finished with nine points while Faust had seven.

“We shared the ball well tonight. They are a good team. They are good kids,” said James on his Tigers. “They play well together and they compete.”

Jaylin Foster topped Scecina with 15 points. Ian Collins had nine points. Bryce Mathis finished with eight.

Triton Central 63, Heritage Christian 43

Triton Central reached the championship game with a second win this season over Heritage Christian on Friday.

The Tigers outscored the Eagles, 14-3, in the second quarter to get separation and never relinquished the lead.

Triton Central hit 22-of-28 free throw attempts in the win. Sego finished with a game-high 27 points. Brody Hartman totaled 12 points off the bench and Kemper added 11, including an opening quarter 3-pointer.

Program history

The sectional championship is the 10^th in school history for Triton Central and 14^th for Hall of Fame head coach Mark James. The Tigers have won four sectional titles in the last six years.

The program has just one regional championship in school history – in 1989.

The 22 wins is a season record for Triton Central eclipsing 21-win teams in 1965, 1997 and 2015.

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