Size, experience leads Parke Heritage to semistate semifinal win over Triton Central

INDIANAPOLIS - Class 2A, No. 4 Parke Heritage has prepared itself all season for a postseason grind.

On Saturday at Southport Fieldhouse, the Wolves used its considerable size and vast postseason experience to dispatch of 2A No. 6 Triton Central in the first semifinal game.

Parke Heritage trailed for less than 30 seconds in the contest, using a 7-0 run to turn a 19-18 deficit into a 25-19 advantage in the third quarter.

The Wolves then hit 9 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter to seal a 44-38 victory and a Final Four berth.

Treigh Schelsky finished with a game-high 19 points and added five rebounds and three assists. Carter Crum had 10 points and seven rebounds. Isaac Pickel had four points and 10 rebounds.

The size advantage of Crum (6-4) and Pickel (6-9) led to a 26-13 rebounding advantage for Parke Heritage (25-4). Of their combined 17 rebounds, eight came on the offensive end.

“I thought the biggest thing was their length,” said Triton Central head coach Mark James. “We couldn’t quite get over that hump. The ball would be right at our fingertips and they would hit it and get it out and they would get the ball and another possession. They wore us out on the boards. That has not happened all year.”

Jackson Faust and Brody Hartman each hit a pair of 3s in the first half and Triton Central shot its way to a 16-all tie at halftime.

“We hit some shots early in the first half,” said James. “In the second half we didn’t hit shots. We were shooting a lot more 3s than them and we weren’t getting offensive rebounds. I thought the rebounds were huge.”

Triton Central’s first lead of the game at 19-18 was short lived. Brenden Goins hit a 15-foot jumper for Parke Heritage to retake the lead. Schelsky and Crum each added a free throw and Leyton McMullen closed the 7-0 run with a wing 3.

Eli Sego, Triton Central’s career scoring leader, missed his first five shots before finally connecting on a 15-footer late in the third quarter. The senior kept his team within striking distance, scoring 12 fourth-quarter points. His first made 3 of the game pulled the Tigers within 35-33 with 3:06 to go.

“The first part of the game, (Parke Heritage) started knocking down shots. We fought back the whole way,” said Sego. “I am proud of all of our guys for knocking down shots and playing good defense. It was fun to be a part of.”

Schelsky answered back with a backdoor cut reverse layin and the Tigers never got closer than four points the rest of the way.

Sego finished with a team-high 18 points and added four rebounds and three assists. Hartman had nine points and four rebounds. Faust finished with six.

Parke Heritage had been held under 50 points just three times prior to Saturday’s second ever meeting with Triton Central. It lost two of those three.

“Triton Central is one of the best defensive teams we’ve played all season,” said Parke Heritage head coach Rich Schelsky. “Honestly, probably the best other than Fishers. They held us to 44 points. Our guys didn’t freak out. They stayed composed. They understood what it took to win.”

Triton Central finished 23-4 – a single season program record for wins.