Triton Central secures first regional championship since 1989

GREENFIELD – Eli Sego denied Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter its first ever regional championship and secured Triton Central’s first in the four-class era Saturday night with a 57-51 victory at Greenfield-Central High School.

Class 2A, No. 6 Triton Central (23-3) learned Sunday it will have a short trip to Southport for the four-team semistate tournament and will face No. 4 Parke Heritage (24-4) in the first semifinal at 10 a.m. The second semifinal pits No. 8 Linton-Stockton (24-4) against unranked Austin (17-8).

The semistate championship game is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Sego finished with a game-high 30 points against former Indiana Crossroads Conference rival Ritter (14-13). Jackson Faust (12 points) and Henry Kemper (10) also got to double digits in the scoring column to extend a record-setting season at least one more week.

“I thought all the kids made really big plays for us defensively,” said Triton Central head coach Mark James. “When we broke down, they scored every time. We knew they could score. We had to control the tempo of the game and keep them from scoring in transition, which is where they score more of their points and I thought we did a really good job of that.”

Triton Central’s defense kept Ritter center Devin Bolden in check, but the Raiders were dialed in from beyond the arc and put pressure on the Tigers early.

Cheick Wade scored at the rim then buried a three-pointer for a quick 5-0 lead for the Raiders. Sego responded with three straight 3s but was countered by 3s from Anthony Anuka and Thomas McDowell III that left the game tied 15-all at the first break.

“When we set a tone like that and play hard-nosed defense, one possession at a time, it makes the game feel a lot easier and the crowd doesn’t seem so big in that moment,” said Sego (photo), who passed Morristown’s Jerry Bass to become the sixth-leading scorer in Shelby County history.

Sego scored nine of the Tigers’ 12 points in the second quarter and Faust hit a 3 for a 27-26 halftime advantage.

Ritter continued shooting near 50% from the arc in the third quarter with 3s again from Anuka and McDowell and the Raiders took a 37-36 lead.

“We knew some of their guys could hit shots. Our game plan was eliminate the drive and force shots. We made them force shots and they hit,” said Faust.

Bolden’s final field goal of the game came with 6:28 to go and gave the Raiders their final lead at 42-41.

Triton Central responded with a 7-0 run to take control of the contest. Sego started it with a 3-point play. Kemper scored at the rim and Sego added two more free throws for a 48-42 lead.

“When we hit our free throws and play hard nose (defense) and don’t turn the ball over, it’s really fun to be around,” said Sego with a big smile.

Wade answered back with corner 3 but the Tigers worked the clock and ran another minute off the scoreboard before Kemper hit a layin for a 5-point lead.

“Once we got a two-possession lead, we are pretty good at passing and cutting and moving and we have a bunch of good free throw shooters on the floor,” said James, who will lead his third different program into a semistate tournament.

Inside the final minute, Grant Long, Kemper, Faust and Sego converted 7 of 9 free throws to seal the win.

“Many people before the season started didn’t believe in us. We are not super big, but the grit is what we got,” said Faust (photo).

Bolden, who entered the game averaging 21 points and 13 rebounds per game, finished with 12 points and five rebounds. Anuka also scored 12 – all on 3s. Wade added 10 points and two assists.

The Raiders shot 49% from the field and hit 10 of 22 3s.

The Tigers took just 30 shots, making 19 (63%), and hit 13 of 17 free throws.

Triton Central’s only other regional championship came in 1989. That team included Sego’s father, Greg Sego.

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