Triton Central strong favorite to win fourth straight Shelby County Tournament title

Internal pressure builds yearly for a Triton Central program that has dominated the Shelby County Girls Basketball Tournament.

The Tigers have been so successful, it’s bigger news when they are beaten.

Waldron is the host site for the historic 50^th Shelby County Tournament. The semifinal games are Thursday with the championship game set for 6 p.m. Saturday.

In the opener Thursday, Waldron (5-7) will try to avenge a 35-32 loss to Morristown (7-7) on Dec. 11. The second semifinal pits the Tigers (10-3) against Southwestern (2-14).

Triton Central has won three straight county tourney titles, 10 of the last 11 and 20 of the last 25.

The Tigers are the heavy favorite to make it four in a row based on wins this season against all three county tourney foes, limiting each team to less than 20 points.

“That (internal pressure) is something they’ve earned,” said Triton Central head coach Bryan Graham, who is 31-3 in 17 county tournament games, with 14 championships. “Anytime they lose it’s ‘What’s wrong?’

“In the county tourney, it elevates that because they are supposed to win everything, but I would rather be on that side of it than the other side.”

Triton Central, ranked No. 9 in the Class 2A state poll, will start two seniors and three juniors in the nightcap Thursday. Senior Maryrose Felling (photo) will continue chasing history with each point scored.

Felling sits at 1,538 career points, second best in Triton Central girls basketball history. She needs 16 points to eclipse the Triton Central boys basketball career record of 1,553 points set by her older brother, Wyatt Felling, in 2019.

Felling currently is fourth all-time in Shelby County history. She needs 26 points to pass Shelbyville’s Kylee Edwards (1,563) for third. Southwestern’s Annie Thomas (1,664) is second behind Triton Central’s Samantha Dewey (1,702) (photo).

Triton Central started the season with two losses in its first three games to potential sectional opponents Heritage Christian (63-59) and Eastern Hancock (58-57). The Tigers are 9-1 since then with the only loss coming at Tri-West (68-61) on Dec. 9.

While Felling is the driving force offensively at 24.5 ppg, help comes from junior point guard Quinn King (12.5 ppg, 6.9 apg, 4.2 spg). Juniors Layla Compton (6 ppg) and Kate Collier (6.8 ppg) are both capable of producing double-digit scoring games.

Triton Central graduate Brooklyn Bailey (photo), a sophomore basketball player at Kaskaskia College in Illinois, recently watched this year’s version of the Tigers and was impressed.

“It’s kind of a thrill of going into (the county tournament) because we always have to prove ourselves,” said Bailey. “Everyone is watching us. Everyone has to step up a lot. I can tell, even being gone last year and this year, I can tell a lot of these girls have really stepped up. Even the freshmen are stepping up. This is the program they want to be in and they want to show their potential.”

Bailey was the 2024 county tournament Most Valuable Player after leading the Tigers to a 53-43 win over Waldron at Southwestern High School.

“I was surprised by it honestly,” said Bailey. “When I am playing, I don’t think I want to be MVP. It’s just play.

“I am thankful my team had a lot of faith in me and I was able to get that goal. It’s still very special. I was very humbled in a way because I never thought I was the better player. It was very exciting and I was thankful for it.”

Felling, the 2025 MVP, is the odds-on bet to repeat in 2026.

Southwestern lost at Triton Central, 85-15, on Dec. 17. The Spartans are averaging 24.6 ppg this season and are currently in the midst of a 7-game losing streak.

Freshman Bryla Dunbar leads Southwestern in scoring at 4.7 ppg. She also is the team’s leading rebounder at 4.6 per game.

The opening semifinal Thursday could go either way. Morristown led Waldron 24-20 after three quarters in their first meeting and held on for the victory. Junior guard Jayla Keithley led the victorious Yellow Jackets with 10 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Brooklyn Kuhn finished with nine points, two rebounds and three blocks. Abby Hawk had eight rebounds.

Morristown had won four straight before suffering a 60-21 loss Tuesday to Class A, No. 8 Oldenburg Academy (14-2).

Waldron has lost five of its last seven. Starting with the Morristown loss, the Mohawks are averaging just 28 ppg over their last four games.

Waldron will rely on seniors Emerson Lindsey and Jackie Corlett and junior Brooklyn Milbourn to jump start the offense Thursday on their home floor.

Four schools and multiple generations will be on hand for the 50^th annual event. Family is a big key to the success and sustainability of these kinds of tournaments.

“These kids in Shelby County pride themselves in a lot of history, as do their parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles,” said Graham. “It’s a big deal getting everyone there cheering for their team. And booing the other teams. It’s just fun.

“It’s a great atmosphere. We don’t want to just keep it going but keep it building.”

The Shelby County Post is a digital newspaper producing news, sports, obituaries and more without a pay wall or subscription needed.