The bag of tricks is fictional. The hardware is not.
Bailey scored 47 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to lead Class 2A, No. 12 Triton Central to wins over Waldron (53-43) and Morristown (52-22) to capture the 2024 Shelby County Tournament title. The Triton Central center, who hit 8 of 11 shots in the championship, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
“All my coaches told me all week and prepared me to be prepared because you are going to be double teamed and probably will be face-guarded and don’t let that bring down your confidence,” said Bailey after cutting down a piece of the county tourney championship net. “They wanted me to move around and help my teammates and if I’m double-teamed I want to help out my teammates rather than me scoring.”
Bailey dominated the third quarter Thursday in the Tigers’ semifinal win over Waldron. She had nine points and six rebounds over that eight-minute span that kept Triton Central in the lead. She went on to score 22 points and collect 10 rebounds.
In the championship game Saturday, she showed how low-post dominant she can be by scoring 11 points in the second quarter and six more in the third on a variety of moves around the rim – and punctuated her dominance by stepping out and hitting a 3-pointer that gave her team a 27-6 lead.
“Brooklyn has grown so much from middle school to where she is now,” said Triton Central head coach Bryan Graham. “She is a student of the game. She is always trying to learn off someone.”
Bailey confirmed her thirst for knowledge by recalling who taught her how to operate in the low post.
“Actually, my first year with Tenleigh Phelps really helped me with all my post moves,” explained Bailey. “I’m not the tallest so she really helped me with being able to move and cut and even watching her play now for IU South Bend I still look at her as my role model.”
Triton Central raced out to a 15-4 lead after one quarter Saturday at Southwestern High School and opened up a 35-14 cushion by halftime with Bailey’s dominance and the 3-point shooting of Maryrose Felling and Hailey Harris.
The Tigers were 7-of-11 from beyond the arc against the Yellow Jackets, who could not keep pace. In the third quarter, Morristown missed all 11 shot attempts and that helped the lead grow to 32.
Bailey scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to kick in the running clock and minutes later, she and fellow seniors Harris (photo, center) and Lucy Spall departed the game together.
Graham now has 13 county tourney titles in his 16 seasons with the Tigers.
“I am very blessed to be where I am at and in the community and with the kids I have,” he said.
Felling, a sophomore, finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and two assists for Triton Central.
“Maryrose has the ability and has shown at times, including tonight, she is one of the best rebounding guards around,” said Graham. “She has the ‘it’ on knowing where the ball is going and I think a lot of shooters do because they kind of understand when someone shoots it where it is going to miss.”
Freshman Quinn King tallied four points and a game-high eight assists.
Freshman Jayla Keithley led Morristown with 14 points and four rebounds.
The Yellow Jackets (6-11) return to action Tuesday at home against North Decatur (11-6).
Triton Central, now 14-3, travels to New Palestine (8-9) Tuesday.
Steve Bush photos
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