Derreon Burnett drives for the Hawks in the league tournament.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Fourth-seeded Triton overcame a slow start, rallying to beat visiting No. 5 Union Pines 52-48 in the first round of the Tri-County Six 3-A Conference varsity boys basketball tournament Monday.
“First of all, a tough start, 7-0 and I called a timeout,” said Triton boys coach T.J. Morrison. “I don’t know that it’s the fourth in a row, but it might be four out of the last five that we’ve called timeout down 7-, down 9-, down 11-0. We just looked lethargic early. Luckily, we were able to fight back. To me, it was embarrassing there for a little bit. I think we even got down 21-5 and I want to say they had 29 at halftime and only had 37 the whole last game (Triton beat Union Pines 39-37 at home on Feb. 5). It was just we’ve got to defend a little better and get a better start.
“You could blame it on not being in school (Harnett County Schools had a teachers’ work day Monday) or whatever you want to blame it on, but either way, we weren’t ready to play to start with and they were. I’m glad they fought back. I wish it wouldn’t take getting upset with them or sitting somebody down and talking with them. We should just play and do what we’ve done for 51 practices and the other 24 games that we know to do. I’m glad we get to play again and get a chance to make a case for the playoffs, but I wish we’d get started a little quicker.”
Senior Derreon Burnett had 15 points and six rebounds, senior Kalil Hodges had 12 points and junior Travion Sanders had 11 points, five rebounds and five steals to lead the Hawks (12-13).
“I think ever since the first Wake Forest game here, (Burnett) had 27 or 29,” Morrison said. “After that, people kind of took notice and have keyed on him. So, whenever he’d touch the ball, he’d have a hand on the ball, hand on his arm. But we try to tell the guys, ‘If you space the floor and look for everybody and other people get involved, shots will open up for everybody.’ Luckily, they found him when they needed to and they made plays when they needed to. So, team effort.”
Dalen Thompson had six points, Emari White had four points, Colby Parker had two points, five rebounds and four assists and Josiah Lett had two points and five rebounds. Tre’sean McLeod had three assists.
Morrison cited some rebounds off the bench from Lett and a pair of three-pointers off the bench from Thompson, in his first game back from an arm injury that caused him to miss most of the second half of the season, as keys for Triton.
“Jo’s been doing that a lot for us, coming in and giving us big minutes,” Morrison said. “And in Dalen’s first game back after being hurt, he did come in and hit some big shots for us. I took a little risk, I was trying to prove a point, and put five in for the first five there for a little bit in the third quarter. Not only did they keep it the same, I think they cut the lead a few points, especially with him shooting the ball.”
The Vikings (10-14) were led by a pair of seniors. Kaedan Young led all scorers with 18 points and Deontae Monroe had 11 points.
Things looked bleak early for the Hawks as the Vikings went on a 17-5 run through the first quarter.
Triton cut into the lead by outscoring Union Pines 14-12 in the second quarter to trim the halftime lead to 29-19.
With the Vikings holding a 36-27 lead midway through the third quarter, a Thompson three started a 13-4 run, with Hodges scoring to tie the game 40-40 at the end of the quarter.
After Burnett scored to give Triton its first lead of the game to start the fourth quarter, an 8-2 run put Union Pines back in front by four. But the Hawks rallied to end the game with eight unanswered points to advance to the second round.
Triton will travel to Southern Lee to face the top-seeded Cavaliers (21-3) tonight (Tuesday, Feb. 19) at 7:30 p.m. The Hawks are the only conference team with a win over Southern Lee this season, winning 48-45 at home to start conference play on Jan. 11. But the Cavaliers have not lost since that game and are coming into Tuesday’s contest on a nine-game win streak.
“It’ll be a tough game, a tough task,” Morrison said. “But I’m looking forward to it.”
Kalil Hodges gets a hoop for the Hawks on Monday night.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Dalen Thompson (24) hits a 3-pointer to start a Triton run.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Travion Sanders (3) finishes on the offensive end.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Colby Parker (2) scores in Triton’s first-round win.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
