Muntu's three-point shooting display downs Sauk Valley

The latest channeler of Steph Curry is Triton College men's basketball guard Brandon Muntu.

The NBA's top long-range shooter of modern times could not have been more deadly than the Trojans Muntu Jan. 21 at the Collins Center. The Western Michigan signee totaled 12 three pointers, including nine in the first half, in the Trojans' 76-58 victory over Region 4 rival Sauk Valley Community College.

Falling just one short of tying teammate Jamal Winston's team record of 13 three pointers, Muntu was hot from the opening tip. He nailed five consecutive threes within the first eight minutes as 14-5 Triton opened a 21-13 lead, and were never seriously threatened the rest of the way.

Muntu "cooled off" in the second half with just a trio of treys, finishing with 38 points. He nailed his final three-pointer with 55.5 seconds to go, attempting 18 three-pointers in all.

"My teammates kept getting me open and I kept trying to get the open shots," Muntu said. "I let the game come to me. We kept trying to move the ball and I kept playing with rhythm. The shots were falling."

Muntu had a chance to tie Winston's record – which in itself had bested his own three-point record. But with the game won in the final minute, Triton head coach John Clancy was not going to continue have players bombing away.

"I just continue to play the game and not really thinking about that stuff," Muntu said about the record.

For the season, Muntu already was Triton's best three-point shooter. He averaged 3.1 shots made in 7.7 attempts per game for a 40.3 percentage coming in. Overall, Muntu averaged 14.2 points per game, second on the Trojans, coming in.

Muntu was the beneficiary of unselfish Triton ball movement. The Trojans totaled 22 assists.

"That first half was special," said Clancy. "His teammates knew who the hot hand was, and continued to share the basketball. The ball constantly moved. I really liked the unselfish play. A lot of good, and lot of room for more growth."

Less glamorous but just as important as Muntu's feats was Triton's rebound from a hard-fought, draining 98-88 loss to seventh-ranked Indian Hills at the Collins Center three nights earlier.

"We continue to keep getting better," Muntu said. "We didn't let the loss to Indian Hills affect us. For us, it's just continue the energy."

Trojans point guard Kimahri Wilson had another good all-around game. He had 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers, a team-leading seven assists and two steals. Quenton Flood had seven points and five assists. Devon Barnes finished with seven points and five assists.

"I want to give kudos to Quenton Flood," said Clancy. "His hand blew up after Indian Hills. His presence was huge for us. He knows we're short-handed."

Reik Reik had a team-leading 14 points for Sauk Valley (9-10) as the Trojans swept the season series from the SkyHawks, winning the last 11 contests played since 2017.

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(Story by tritonathletics.com contributor George Castle)