Balanced team effort leads Trojans past Southeastern Iowa

Super-sub Ethan Johnson's best game of the season along with four players each racking up a trio of three-pointers held off a stubborn Southeastern Iowa in Triton College men's basketball team's 77-71 victory Saturday (Jan. 17) at the Jorndt Athletic Complex gymnasium.

Mixing and matching after a spate of injuries, Triton interim coach Taylor Lavery rode Johnson's hot hand in 20 minutes of play to a game-high 21 points as the Trojans (10-7) finally pulled out in front later in the second half.

Terez Holmes joined Johnson in overcoming the Blackhawks by scoring 10 of the Trojans' first 14 points after intermission. He tallied 19 points overall.

Johnson, Holmes, Saadiq Moore (16 points) and Matt Sullivan (11 points) each connected on three three-pointers. Johnson's and Papa Kounta's treys were key in establishing a Triton lead they would not relinquish in the second half, while a pair of Johnson free throws sealed the game near the end.

"Ethan's a great spark off the bench," said Lavery, who does not wait long in early stages of games to insert Johnson. He often provides instant offense. The Chatsworth, Calif., product averages 10.1 points per game with 37 percent three-point shooting.

Southeastern Iowa (9-9) was hot early with a 24-18 lead. Then the visitors continually fought Triton and kept the score close all the way.

The Trojans had to fight off Blackhawks scorer Trevan Krumrei's own three-point shooting as he tallied a team-high 20 points. Holmes contributed to that effort with a game-high five blocked shots and nine rebounds.

"He's really, really athletic," Lavery said of Holmes. "He's great around the basket and helped us get stops."

Sullivan added 11 points and Kounta 10. Moore led the Trojans with seven assists.

"We moved the ball better," Lavery said of the second-half effort. "We needed players to make specific plays."

Lavery, named interim head coach for the rest of the season while Brian Burns is on medical leave, has had to be creative with lineups. He only had seven available players in the previous game, a loss to Indian Hills in Ottumwa, Iowa.

Despite early-season inconsistency and injuries, the Trojans barring any major missteps should hold on for a Top 4 spot to begin regionals at home before semi-finals and finals are held at the Jorndt Athletic Complex gymnasium in March.

The Region 4 Division I race has no clear-cut favorite with perennial contender Triton still able to make a run at the title given consistent play and good health.

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(Story by tritonathletics.com contributor George Castle)