By Chris May
Boys Basketball Coordinator
BOURBON – It wasn’t quite the “Milan Miracle,” but for the folks of tiny Bourbon, the Nov. 27 win by Class A Triton over neighbor and defending 3A state champion Plymouth was a long time coming – and certainly a win for the little guys over the big boys.
With the 44-36 home victory, the 1A top-ranked Trojans (2-0) beat the legendary Pilgrims (1-1) for just the third time ever and the first in 17 seasons.
“It feels awesome,” said Triton 6’7” senior Jake Everett, who led his team with 15 points. “Every little 1A team always wants to beat a big 3A or 4A opponent.”
Added Triton fourth-year head coach Jason Groves: “It’s huge.”
Even the losing coach had a sense of the small school-beats-big storyline.
“I went to a small high school myself,” said Plymouth first-year coach John Scott. “I was always battling against the big county school – I know how Triton feels.
“It’s a great feeling for them, especially on their home floor.”
But the story of this clash of Marshall County schools was a physical, defensive game in which Plymouth guard Randy Davis was held to just six points on the night.
“I thought we did a heck of a job defensively,” said Groves. “Especially on Davis.”
For Davis, an unsigned 5’11” senior guard, the trip to Bourbon was a rough evening. The lone returning starter from last season’s state title team, Davis seemed the key to anything the Pilgrims will accomplish this season.
So needless to say, Davis’ one made field goal was not what the Pilgrims had expected. Nor their opponents.
“I told A.J. (Harrison) if he held Davis under 25, he’d be doing a good job,” Groves said.
But limiting the All-State and All-Star candidate to just one field goal and six points before fouling out?
“I would have never thought that in my wildest imagination,” Groves added.
“Defensively for Triton, I thought they had a great game plan,” said Scott. “Obviously, you have to stop Randy, and they did a great job at that.”
Davis’ limitations were courtesy of a Trojan defense that held Plymouth to just six made field goals through the first three quarters. Foul trouble also piled on quickly for the Pilgrims in the third quarter.
After scoring his first two points with just 3:54 left in the third quarter, Davis’ second, third, and fourth fouls quickly followed in the next 90 seconds.
By the time the senior was whistled for his fourth personal when he slapped at the ball, 1:39 was left in the third quarter and Plymouth trailed 23-16.
Thankfully for Plymouth, Nick Neidlinger had found some touch. The 6’3” senior hit three of the Pilgrims’ five first-half field goals (two of them behind the arc) and accounted for half of their points when Davis picked up his fourth foul.
“Nick can step up and hit the three, and he can drive,” Scott said.
Davis was relegated to the bench and wouldn’t return until the 6:19 mark in the fourth quarter. With Davis out of the game, Triton started a run that also held the Pilgrims scoreless through the 4:17 mark.
By that point, Triton had outscored Plymouth 8-3 since Davis’ fourth foul, and the Trojans had their largest lead of the game at 31-19.
A brief comeback led by 11 points between Neidlinger and Davis closed it to a 38-31 game with 1:18 left, but Triton hit six of their final eight free throws as Plymouth was forced to foul – including Davis’ fifth with 21.1 seconds left.
The game may have been a foreshadowing of what is to come for each team this season.
Plymouth is dealing with a high level of turnover this season – not only of players but also on the bench, from where legendary and two-time state championship coach Jack Edison stepped away. His son Michael had been tabbed his replacement but was replaced himself before the start of the season.
Scott, meanwhile, is labeled an interim coach and seems to have no desire to keep the job beyond this season.
The Trojans, on the other hand – just three years removed from a 4-17 season – are returning everyone from last year’s 14-8 team. Triton now has seven seniors and is a team many (including yours truly – see here) are targeting as a 1A title contender.
“It kind of surprised me it was this much of a defensive struggle,” Groves said. “The thing I liked the most was our kids recognized that, and they took care of the ball and took good shots.”
Three Trojans carried a majority of the scoring load. Everett – a Bethel College recruit – had 15 points, while 6’4” senior forward Troy McIntyre added 14, eight of those coming in the fourth quarter (and a majority at the free throw line, where the winners shot 13 of 16 in the final period). Fellow senior Harrison had eight.
Six-foot-three junior Colton Keel went for five points while junior guard Joel Meister hit two free throws – the Trojans’ only points off the bench.
For Plymouth, Neidlinger finished with a game-high 18 points while Davis and 5’8” junior Austin Hodges chipped in six apiece. Senior post player Ryan Welch and junior guard Brandon Elliott each had three points.
“I was so pleased with our defense,” Scott said. “I’d like to think that that’s the best defensive team Triton’s going to face this year. But we have to get better offensively as a team – there’s no doubt about that.
“Our offense wasn’t in synch tonight. Our cutters and our passers and our screeners were just one to two seconds apart from each other all night long, and that’s a credit to Triton’s defense.”
So did Groves feel as if his team’s victory would grab statewide attention?
“I’m sure it probably does – they’re the defending 3A state champs,” Groves said. “But to be honest, we’re not too concerned with that. We’re just trying to get better and beat NorthWood next game.
“But we really enjoy this victory. That’s for sure.”
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