Triton unable to keep pace with Olive-Harvey

Playing with a rotation primarily of seven players, the Triton College men's basketball team prefers not to play at a track-meet pace.

So when Olive-Harvey College (19-5) began pushing the ball upcourt in high gear Tuesday (Feb. 10) at the Jorndt Athletic Complex gymnasium, the Trojans (12-11) often fell a step behind in a 91-84 defeat.

The Trojans outrebounded the Panthers 56-28. But the visitors outshot the Trojans 46 to 35 percent. And Triton could not close the gap from long-distance, hitting just four-of-30 three-point attempts. Olive-Harvey was more efficient at 8-for-19 from long range.

Triton virtually kept pace through the first half, trailing just 38-36 at intermission. Olive-Harvey quickly grabbed the advantage in the second half, boosting the lead to 11 points halfway through. Triton made several short runs to creep within five, but got no closer.

"Our normal shots, we weren't making them," said interim coach Taylor Lavery. "They're a fast team. They played four guards. They outhustled us."

Triton has the next three weeks to upgrade its performance for the Region 4 Division I postseason. Olive-Harvey is seeded No. 1, while Triton is seeded No. 4 in the first set of tier rankings released Feb. 10.

The Trojans individually did not have bad games inside the three-point arc. Papa Kounta led with 21 points. Terez Holmes had 16, Will Scott 15 and Saadiq Moore 12. Holmes had a game-high 17 rebounds, while Kounta and Miles Mitchell each had 12.

Terrence Shannon had a game-high 26 points while Justin Jones had 21 for Olive-Harvey.

Triton is 9-3 at home. The Trojans have little rest this week, playing a pair of road games, Thursday (Feb. 12) against Truman College and at Sauk Valley Community College Saturday (Feb. 14). The outcome of these two games will factor largely if Triton can hang on to one the top four spots in the regional standings to ensure playing an opening round game at home.

"Three games in one week is not ideal," said Lavery. "But we have to get ready for them."

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(Story by tritonathletics.com contributor George Castle)