Women's Basketball jumps fast on Kennedy-King to earn spot in title game

The Triton College women's basketball team has once again reached the Region 4 Division I championship game after a resounding 85-59 victory over Kennedy-King College Wednesday (March 4) at the Jorndt Athletic Complex gymnasium.

The top-seeded Trojans will play second-seeded Olive-Harvey in a rematch of last season's title game at 5 p.m. Saturday (March 7) on Triton's home court.  Olive-Harvey, then the No. 1 seed, rallied in the second half to defeat second-seeded Triton 70-62.

Now 23-9, the Trojans earned the Olive-Harvey showdown with a dominating first half after coach Drew Winston had just six healthy players due to injuries to Jocelyn Tibbetts and Mariah Phelps. The Trojans zoomed to an 18-0 start against the 20-9 Lady Statesmen and were never seriously threatened afterward.

"I expected a better game as they are a good team that is well-coached," Winston said of Kennedy-King, which trailed 42-31 at halftime.

His players crafted one of their better halves of the year as Jada Branch and Alivia Brown were a combined 11-for-13 shooting in the first half. Each had 12 points. Triton was deadly inside and at mid-range, shooting 52 percent overall in the game while connecting on just a trio of three-pointers.

Then Jazzmine Smith helped lock down the game in the third quarter. Tallying just four points in the first half, Smith had a quick 10-point outburst midway through the quarter to boost Triton's lead to 57-36. The hosts then coasted to the final score.

Brown led all scorers with 22 points while Smith had 18, Branch 17 and Jayla Rankin 12. Rankin despite scoring below her average had a game-high 11 assists while Branch finished with eight helpers. Charity Anderson pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.

"I feel good," said Brown. "Everybody stepped up."

Branch and Rankin both played the entire game. Smith logged 35 minutes. Kyra Paul was the only relief off the bench with 18 minutes.

Knowing his roster had thinned due to injuries, Winston made sure his players saved their energy for the game itself.

"Our practices have got to be light," he said. "We work on a lot of shooting, and the mental aspect."

Triton swept the season series against Olive-Harvey, winning 73-42 Dec. 16 on the road before squeaking out a dramatic victory at home 64-63 Feb. 19.

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(Story by tritonathletics.com contributor George Castle)