Dalen Thompson dunks for the Hawks off an alley-oop pass.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
With the girls team playing at home for the first time and the boys for just the second time this season, Triton took a varsity basketball sweep over visiting Smithfield-Selma on Wednesday night.
A third-quarter surge powered Triton to a 44-29 win over Smithfield-Selma in the girls game, avenging a loss at Smithfield-Selma from Friday night.
“When we all contribute and play like we’re capable of playing, we usually have a positive outcome,” said Triton girls coach Wendy Simmons. “I don’t think that may always happen, but at least we’re heading in the right direction.”
Junior Kaila Cooney had 14 points and junior Anastasia McDonald had 11 points, three assists and seven steals to lead the Hawks (3-3).
Zoie Starling, who missed Friday’s game due to illness, had nine points and seven rebounds. Abby Hood had eight points, 13 rebounds and four blocks. Gracie Byrd had two points, five rebounds and three assists.
Freshman Kayla Robertson had 13 points to lead the Spartans (5-2).
Starling put the game’s first points on the board with a three-pointer that sparked the Hawks on a 10-0 run to start the game.
“(Starling) had some good looks and she hit the threes when we needed them,” Simmons said. “It seemed like it was always at crucial times. We needed it and she took care of business.”
Triton led the entire first half, but the Spartans ended the second quarter on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 17-16 at halftime.
Jalyn Reddick scored early in the third quarter to give the Spartans their only lead of the game. But later in the quarter, a pair of scores from McDonald sparked a 10-0 run that put the Hawks in front for good.
“(McDonald) leads the team and controls the team,” Simmons said. “She’s a little sparkplug out there. We need her to play like that consistently.”
Despite a late rally and a 33-point effort from Smithfield-Selma senior Elijah Weir, Triton held on for a 66-58 win in the boys game and a season sweep over the Spartans.
“I think the biggest part was we needed this for our confidence,” said Triton boys coach Pat McNeill. “We were kind of in a slump and needed to find a way to win. I didn’t really like this win, but I enjoyed this win. It was ugly. It got sloppy at the end. But every win is needed. Every win is something we can build off of. We can always take something from a win.”
McNeill, an assistant on the boys team, assumed head coaching duties as coach T.J. Morrison was serving the second game of a two-game suspension. McNeill, along with assistant Nick Parker, is a former Triton standout, who played for Morrison at Triton.
Playing for the first time since the season-opener on Nov. 18, because of an injury, junior Ladrabious Eason had a double-double, with 14 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, to lead the Hawks (3-3).
“Coach Mo called (Eason) ‘the Beast,’ when he came back to practice,” McNeill said. “For the most part, he was banging and doing what we expect Dra to do all season.”
Three other Hawks scored in double figures. Senior Josiah Lett had 12 points and nine rebounds, junior Dalen Thompson had 11 points and four assists and junior Jamari Amerson had 10 points.
“We are guard-heavy this year,” McNeill said. “It’s kind of different. We’re usually big-heavy and want to work more of an inside-out. We have a few guys that can kind of be hybrids and go in or out and today they used their athleticism to help them. It was a key role in how we won tonight.”
Myshon Smith had six points, three assists and three steals. Travion Sanders had six points and three assists. Keionta Burnett had four points and three assists. Zydarious McDougald had three points and seven rebounds.
Triton opened the game on a 20-3 run and held a double-digit lead for the majority of the contest.
With Triton holding a 57-41 lead late in the fourth, the Spartans went on a 17-6 run to cut Triton’s lead to five. But an Amerson free throw and a score from Lett cut off the rally and the Hawks held on for the win.
Triton is at home against Cleveland on Friday night.
Zoie Starling hits a three for the first points of the girls game.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Anastasia McDonald scores for the Triton girls.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Kaila Cooney drops a 3-pointer in front of the Triton bench.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Abby Hood scores for the Triton girls in Wednesday night’s win.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Ladrabious Eason scores in his return for Triton’s boys.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Jamari Amerson hits a three at the close of the first quarter.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Myshon Smith scores for the Hawks in a win over SSS.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
