HOPE – Following a 1-2 start to the season, Triton Central’s defense has been outstanding.

On Thursday, the Class 2A, No. 9 Tigers won their ninth-straight game with a 53-21 victory at Hauser. No opponent has scored more than 41 points during the streak, and seven have been held below 30 points.

“The thing I am always preaching to them, if our offense isn’t working, then your defense better be working, and our defense has been pretty good,” admitted Triton Central head coach Bryan Graham.

Triton Central’s offense struggled mightily Thursday despite getting 63 shot attempts.

“Tonight, it wasn’t the mistakes we made. We just couldn’t hit a bunny,” said Graham of his 10-2 Tigers. “We couldn’t hit a shot. If we hit a few more shots like we are supposed to, that game would have been over in the second quarter.”

Triton Central opened up a 25-5 lead late in the first half before Norah Berkenstock hit back-to-back three-pointers that cut the deficit to 27-11 at halftime.

The Tigers turned up the defensive pressure in the third quarter and helped force 10 Hauser turnovers but hitting just 3-of-22 shots in the quarter did not create greater separation.

A 10-0 burst to start the fourth quarter finally secured the outcome and sent the Triton Central starters to the bench – one that is very young and varsity inexperienced.

Freshman Katherine Collier came off the bench in the second quarter and scored five points, collected two steals and had a rebound and an assist. She finished the game with six points.

Freshmen Sophia Burbrink and Layla Compton each scored two points.

The development of a second unit is a priority for Triton Central to have success later in the season when the opponents get tougher. Over the nine-game winning streak, TC’s opponents are a combined 40-74.

“Games like this are helping us get more kids in,” said Graham. “There was a point in time in the second quarter where we had all three seniors on the bench with four freshmen and a sophomore on the floor.”

Felling finished just short of her season-scoring average of 20 points per game with 19 points. She also had four rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Senior Brooklyn Bailey had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Senior Hailey Harris filled the stat sheet with six points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals.

Triton Central shot 31% from the field and just 16% from the arc.

Berkenstock led the Jets (3-12) with 10 points. Braelyn Williams had eight points.

Hauser only had 22 shots attempts in the game and committed 35 turnovers.

Triton Central won the junior varsity game, 32-19. Cheyenne Allen led the Tigers with nine points.

Following the Christmas break, Triton Central will compete in back-to-back tournaments at Hauser and Southwestern.

On Wednesday, the Tigers will face South Decatur (8-6) at 1 p.m. Depending on a win or loss, the Tigers will return to the court later in the day to face either Providence (7-6) or Lawrenceburg (7-6).

Triton Central will return to Hauser on Thursday for a third game. That opponent will not be determined until Wednesday night. The other four teams in the field are Greenwood Christian (4-8), Hauser, Eminence (10-3) and Seeger (10-3).

The first weekend of January will be the Shelby County Tournament at Southwestern. The Tigers’ semifinal round opponent on Jan. 4 is Waldron (6-7). Morristown (2-10) and Southwestern (0-12) are the other two teams in the field.

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