Triton Central Edges Speedway in 53-52 Thriller

FAIRLAND — In a game that featured 10 lead changes and went down to the final possession, Triton Central held off Speedway, 53-52, Friday night in an Indiana high school basketball conference clash that delivered postseason intensity.

The Tigers (25-6) used a balanced scoring attack and timely rebounding to survive a late push from the Sparkplugs and secure the one-point victory on their home floor.  Triton Central jumped out early, building a 17-11 lead after the first quarter. Speedway answered in the second, outscoring the Tigers 15-11 to cut the deficit to 28-26 at halftime.

The third quarter belonged to Speedway, which edged in front behind the hot hand of Drew Matelic. The Sparkplugs took a 41-40 lead into the final period after a 15-12 third-quarter advantage, setting up a tense finish. Speedway was powered by Matelic’s 29-point effort. The senior guard connected on 7-of-13 two-point attempts and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, finishing 3-of-4 at the free-throw line. He accounted for more than half of Speedway’s offense.

But Triton Central responded in the fourth.  Eli Sego led the Tigers with 26 points, attacking inside and converting 5-of-6 free throws. Sego also grabbed two rebounds and added a pair of assists in a steady all-around performance.  Brody Hartman chipped in eight points, while senior Grant Long added eight points and three rebounds. Triton Central shot 65 percent from the field (20-of-31), including 6-of-13 from three-point range, and knocked down 7-of-8 free throws (88 percent).

The Sparkplugs shot 58 percent from the field (18-of-31) and an impressive 9-of-10 from three-point range. They also converted 7-of-8 free throws. However, Triton Central’s ability to control key possessions and win the rebounding battle in critical stretches proved decisive.