Waldron, TC advance to Shelby County Tournament championship game

FAIRLAND – Triton Central scored 12 points on four shots in 76 seconds to bury Morristown in the second semifinal game Thursday of the Shelby County Girls Basketball Tournament.

The Tigers took their first lead of the game, 10-9, on a Sophia Burbrink offensive rebound and score early in the second quarter.

Kate Collier and Maryrose Felling followed with four straight 3s and just minutes later Quinn King and Felling hit back-to-back 3s as part of a 28-point quarter for Triton Central.

Morristown never recovered and suffered a 65-40 defeat – its second loss this season to Triton Central.

“In the second quarter, I think the biggest thing was our defense,” said Triton Central head coach Bryan Graham, who has won 13 county tourney titles in 16 attempts. “Defense wins games and with our size, or lack of size, we have to pick up defensively, pressure and run and jump traps. When you get them to turn the ball over you get some good transition looks on 3s and get a chance even if you miss the 3 to get offensive rebounds. And I think we had a ton of offensive rebounds early on.”

The Tigers will face Waldron in the county tournament championship game scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday – but that may change.

The Shelby County Boys Tournament semifinals are slated for tonight, but inclement weather may force the postponement of those games which could push the championship games into next week.

Waldron reached the championship game Thursday with a 63-24 victory over Southwestern.

The Mohawks got off to a slow start Thursday and led just 12-9 after the first quarter but an 8-0 run to start the second quarter pushed the lead to double digits and Waldron was never threatened again.

Emerson Lindsey led Waldron (6-10) to its second win over the Spartans (2-15) this season. The junior hit four 3s and scored a game-high 18 points and added five rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.

Kiley Best finished with 13 points. Jackie Corlett, in her first minutes returning from an injury, added 12 points, four rebounds and four steals.

Tanna Tatlock topped Southwestern with 17 points and 15 rebounds.

Waldron will attempt to avenge a 75-45 loss earlier this season to Triton Central in the championship game in Fairland.

Sixteen games into the season and Graham is still seeing his team evolve. Thursday’s performance gave him better insight into how his undersized and inexperienced team must play to be successful.

“Part of the game plan was we were going to pressure them all to pieces,” said Graham. “I think they got two or three layups but when we ‘stat’ the game we will see our pressure might have given up six points but our pressure created 16 points. They may score one or two in a row but if you stay disciplined and stay in it, by the time the third and fourth quarter comes around we are conditioned and in shape because that’s what we do.

“Unless you are team that practices against that all the time, that’s when you start to build that momentum.”

Operating without a true low post player, Triton Central must rebound as a collective. Against Morristown, Layla Compton, Collier and Burbrink – three of four sophomores in TC’s starting lineup – combined for 16 rebounds.

Felling finished with a game-high 23 points and added seven rebounds to Triton Central’s total.

Felling, No. 7 on TC’s career scoring list, needs two points in the championship game to surpass Kristy Gates (1,082) for No. 6 and is 30 points from passing Tenleigh Phelps (1,110) for No. 5.

For more on Tenleigh Phelps' collegiate basketball career go to: https://www.giant.fm/shelby-county/news/sports-news/hardship-strengthened-tenleigh-phelps-into-basketball-standout-at-iu-south-bend/

Collier and Burbrink each had 10 points. Collier also collected five rebounds and three assists. Burbrink had four rebounds and two assists.

King finished with nine points and five assists – all in the definitive second quarter.

Morristown (8-7) scored 17 first-half points and had 16 turnovers in 16 minutes.

Nevaeh Sanders scored 20 points to lead Morristown, but no other Yellow Jacket scored more than six.

Danika Rutledge had six points and seven rebounds. Emma Nelson finished with six points and six rebounds. Nevaeh Cox and Olivia Rude each had six points.

Morristown, the leader in the Mid-Hoosier Conference standings at 4-0, is at Class A, No. 17 North Decatur (10-5, 1-0 MHC) Tuesday.

Southwestern hosts North Decatur Thursday.

The championship game of the Shelby County Tournament will air live on GIANT fm. Pregame starts at 5:30 p.m. with the game to follow at 6 p.m. Follow the tournament at 96.5 fm, 106.3 fm, 1520 am or online at GIANT.fm