Young, inexperienced Triton Central squad chasing third-straight Shelby County Tournament title

Ideally, Triton Central head coach Bryan Graham would have most of his starting lineup still gaining experience at the junior varsity level.

That is not a luxury affordable to his roster this season. Now in his 17^th year, Graham will send a bevy of sophomores and a talented freshman to the court seeking his 14^th Shelby County Tournament championship.

Triton Central is the host site for the 2025 tournament that includes two semifinal games Thursday and the championship game Saturday.

In the opener Thursday, Waldron (5-12) takes on Southwestern (2-14). The Mohawks defeated the Spartans, 53-31, on Nov. 15.

Triton Central, now 9-6 after starting the season 0-4, takes the court in the second semifinal against Morristown (8-6). The Tigers fell behind early but rallied to defeat the Yellow Jackets, 50-45, on Nov. 27.

The Shelby County Tournament championship game is slated for 6 p.m. Saturday in Fairland.

In Triton Central’s most recent win Saturday against Franklin County, junior guard Maryrose Felling was flanked by sophomores Layla Compton, Katherine Collier, Quinn King and Sophia Burbrink in the starting lineup. None stand taller than five-foot, six inches according to the TC roster sheet.

The first player off the bench was freshman Sawyor Murdick, another 5-6 guard.

“It’s going to be a great game,” said Graham of the Tigers’ rematch with Morristown, who has won six straight. “They are a lot bigger than we are. They have four girls bigger than anybody I’ve got.

“We will try and play our game and go fast. Our goal is to run fast, not give up a layup or a 3 but have them shoot that mid-range jumper. If someone beats us on mid-ranges 2s, not just Morristown, that is how we have to play.”

In the first meeting this season, Morristown led 20-6 after the first quarter then scored 13 points combined over the next two quarters.

“We decided to settle down a little bit and start playing and then we ended up coming back and taking the lead and hanging on to win,” recalled Graham.

Felling, now Triton Central’s single-game record holder for 3s made (10) and a 1,000-point career scorer, finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds against Morristown. No other Tiger scored more than six points in that contest. She is currently 25 points from passing Kristy Gates (1,082 career points) for No. 6 on TC’s career scoring list and 53 from surpassing Tenleigh Phelps (1,110) for No. 5.

Morristown got double-digit scoring from Nevaeh Sanders (20 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals) and Emma Nelson (10 points) in the loss. Danika Rutledge finished with seven points and nine rebounds.

Morristown has five players averaging at least 6 ppg and that could be key to knocking off Triton Central in the county tourney – something head coach Rachel Kleine has not been able to accomplish in her previous seven seasons as head coach.

In the Yellow Jackets’ 63-39 win Saturday at Indianapolis Scecina, Rutledge had a team-high 20 points and 13 rebounds. Nevaeh Cox had 18 points and six steals while Sanders added 17 points.

The only three programs to deny Graham a county championship are Waldron in 2022 (that team finished 24-2), Southwestern in 2014 (22-4) and Waldron in 2010 (19-2).

With senior transfers Kiley Best and Kacey Barker, Waldron had raised expectations to improve on an 8-14 season under third year head coach Ilea Shipp.

Then Grace Fischer suffered a knee injury. She had a dynamic freshman season where she averaged 15.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.1 apg and 2.4 spg – all team highs except for assists. The odds are slim of her playing at all this season.

Best, who transferred in from South Decatur for her senior year, leads the Mohawks in scoring at 12.5 ppg. She also contributes 4 rpg and 2.7 apg.

Emerson Lindsey, a junior, follows at 9.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg and 4.5 apg and lead the Mohawks with 29 made 3s.

Best had a game-high 18 points in Waldron’s first win over Southwestern while Lindsey and junior Jackie Corlett each had 10 points.

Southwestern is averaging just 25.9 ppg this season with an unusual roster of four seniors and six freshmen. Senior Tanna Tatlock leads the team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.

She had 17 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and two steals in that loss to the Mohawks.

The Spartans arrive at the county tournament carrying an 11-game losing streak.

Waldron and Southwestern are a combined 0-4 this season against Morristown and Triton Central with an average margin of defeat of 42 ppg.

All three games of the Shelby County Girls Basketball Tournament will air live on GIANT fm. Pre-game show begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday with game action to follow on 96.5 fm, 106.3 fm, 1520 am or go to GIANT.fm and scroll down to Shelby County and click on the WSVX 96.5 icon.