Triton Athletics

Tuesday, December 2, 2025 BOURBON, Ind. — In a suffocating defensive performance, the Triton Trojans held the Plymouth Pilgrims to just 26 points in a 49-26 victory at the Trojan Trench, improving to 2-0 on the young season. The Trojans' defense was relentless from the opening tip, limiting Plymouth to a dismal 23.7% shooting (9-of-38) from the field and forcing 10 turnovers. It marked a statement victory for Triton head coach Jason Groves' squad, which came into the game ranked #11 in Class 1A. Stifling Defense Sets the Tone From the outset, Triton's defensive pressure frustrated Plymouth's offensive rhythm. The Pilgrims managed just eight points in each of the first two quarters, unable to find any consistent scoring against Triton's swarming defense. Groves credited his team's halftime adjustments for the defensive turnaround. "The first half defensively, I didn't think we rotated very well. We didn't protect the basket area," Groves said. "We talked about that at halftime. The second half we did a much better job sucking in on defense." Plymouth, which entered the game struggling to score (averaging 37.6 points per game), found no relief against the Trojans. The Pilgrims connected on just 4-of-21 three-point attempts (19.0%) and were held to single digits in three of four quarters. Balanced Offensive Attack While the defense dominated, Triton's offense found multiple contributors in the balanced attack. Junior forward Jamison Swanson led all scorers with 11 points on an efficient 4-of-4 shooting performance, including a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. The sophomore came off the bench and caught fire in his second varsity game. "My teammates put me in a great spot and I know I can shoot those shots and practice those every day," Jamison Swanson said. "I feel like honestly when we have a louder crowd, I hit more shots. When you hit a shot, it's one of the best feelings." His performance drew high praise from head coach Jason Groves. "You know, somebody asked me, 'Did it make you nervous? You had two sophomores out there leading the way,'" Groves said. "And I'm like, 'No, these guys are good basketball players. They know what they're doing. We trust them. That's why they're on the court.'" Senior guard Julian Swanson added six points and dished out a team-high four assists to pace the offense. The four-year starter's court vision and ball distribution kept Plymouth's defense off balance throughout the contest. Groves praised his senior guard's complete game. "This preseason Julian's been really, really good. He's been good in practice, he's been good in games," Groves said. "Where he gets overlooked a little bit is defensively. He keeps people in front of him. He's really strong. He's a little tree trunk down there just keeping people in front of him. So he's very valuable for our team." Sophomore Brady Wood continued his strong early-season play, contributing 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting while grabbing three rebounds. Wood's ability to score efficiently has been a welcome addition to Triton's offensive arsenal. Despite battling foul trouble early, Wood stayed engaged from the bench. "Just cheering them on, just staying positive and knowing that I'm going to get back in eventually," Wood said. "Trusting that they've worked hard and that they can do their thing." When asked about the importance of his offseason preparation, Wood was emphatic. "My dad always tells me this: you don't deserve to shoot shots in season if you don't work in the offseason," Wood said. "If you want to be good, you got to put in the work. You got to spend the time in the gym every single day." Senior forward Jayden Overmyer added eight points and six rebounds, providing a physical presence inside that Plymouth couldn't match. Overmyer's activity on both ends of the floor was instrumental in Triton's dominance. Senior point guard Landon Patrick orchestrated the offense with two assists while scoring three points and recording two steals. Senior sharpshooter Gage Riffle contributed five points despite an uncharacteristic 2-of-11 shooting night. The 2025 HNAC All-Conference MVP connected on 1-of-7 from beyond the arc but continued to space the floor and facilitate ball movement. The Swanson brothers provided a special dynamic for Triton. Playing alongside his older brother Julian has been meaningful for sophomore Jamison. "It means a lot. It's an honor," Jamison said. "He's played varsity four years and I'm just glad I can share the court with him senior year." Both Swanson brothers credited the home crowd for providing energy. "I feel like it gives us energy that we wouldn't have otherwise, and it just helps us play better," Jamison said. Plymouth's Offensive Struggles Plymouth simply couldn't solve Triton's defensive schemes. Senior forward Dan Nguyen led the Pilgrims with seven points on 2-of-3 shooting, but no other Plymouth player scored more than six points. Sophomore guard Kyleb Ellery added six points on 2-of-8 shooting, while senior guard Kylen Ellery managed just three points on 1-of-11 shooting from the field. The brothers combined to shoot just 3-of-19 (15.8%) as Triton's defense keyed on Plymouth's top scoring threats. The Pilgrims' offensive woes were compounded by their inability to create second-chance opportunities, as Triton dominated the glass with a 33-22 rebounding advantage. Plymouth managed just six offensive rebounds all night, leading to only two second-chance points. Groves detailed his defensive game plan for neutralizing Plymouth's top threats. "Tonight with Ellery, we want to take away his right," Groves said. "We said we got to really cut that off. He likes to spin back if he goes right. That guy's got to be there ready to rotate and then somebody's got to rotate down. It's drilled and drilled and drilled in practice. In order to be on the court at the varsity level, you got to play defense. The kids know if they don't play defense, they're not going to get to play." Dominant Second Half Leading 20-16 at halftime, Triton pulled away in the second half with a stifling defensive performance that held Plymouth to just 10 points over the final 16 minutes. The Trojans outscored the Pilgrims 14-5 in the third quarter and 15-5 in the fourth to turn a competitive game into a rout. During one dominant stretch, Triton went on a 25-2 run that effectively ended any hope of a Plymouth comeback. Triton's defense forced Plymouth into difficult shots all night, as the Pilgrims managed just 12 points in the paint despite their size advantage. The Trojans' ball pressure and help defense consistently disrupted Plymouth's offensive flow. Building Momentum The victory marked Triton's second straight dominant performance to open the season, following a 68-35 win over Oregon-Davis in the HNAC opener. The Trojans have now outscored their first two opponents 117-61 while holding them to an average of just 30.5 points per game. Groves emphasized the importance of his team's defensive improvement and depth. "The first half defensively, I didn't think we rotated very well. We didn't protect the basket area," Groves said. "After the scrimmage, we really had made a focus on that to get after it defensively and rebounding as well. We really made that an effort here the last two weeks and our kids really did a nice job on the boards." The coach also highlighted the value of having multiple contributors. "This is the kind of team we have, where maybe somebody's struggling one night, Jamison comes in off the bench and is hitting, and he's playing really well," Groves explained. "Hopefully our kids embrace that and realize that, hey, we got a lot of guys that can do a lot of different things. It's not about me, it's about our team and what we can be successful as a team." For a Triton team with aspirations of making a deep tournament run, the defensive intensity shown through two games is an encouraging sign. The Trojans have demonstrated they can win in multiple ways—whether through balanced scoring or lockdown defense. Looking Ahead The victory marked the first time Triton defeated Plymouth in back-to-back seasons since 2020-21 and 2021-22. The win was particularly meaningful given the historical context of the rivalry. Plymouth leads the all-time series 55-11 in 66 meetings dating back to 1964-65, making Triton's recent success against the Pilgrims all the more impressive. Under Jason Groves, Triton has posted a 9-12 record against Plymouth—a significant improvement over the program's historical struggles in the matchup. Triton faces its toughest test of the young season on Friday, December 5, when NorthWood visits the Trojan Trench at 7:30 pm. The Panthers, a 3A school that won the state championship just two years ago, will provide a significant step up in competition for the Trojans. Groves welcomed the challenge of facing Northern Lakes Conference opponents. "You see what these guys look like athletically and they expose some weaknesses and gives you kind of a realistic look at where you're at and what you need to work on," Groves said. "That's what we need to have this year is that mentality—we're going to grow each and every game, each and every day in practice. If we can do that, we could be a really good basketball team by the end of the year." Plymouth, meanwhile, will look to find its offensive rhythm when they host LaPorte on Thursday, December 5. • TRITON 49, PLYMOUTH 26 At Trojan Trench PLYMOUTH: Dan Nguyen 2-3 2-2 7; Kyleb Ellery 2-8 1-2 6; Kylen Ellery 1-11 1-4 3; Parker Bagley 1-7 0-0 3; Christian Cruz-Mahler 1-2 0-0 3; Parker Wolfe 1-2 0-0 2; Adan Macias 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 9-38 4-8 26. TRITON: Jamison Swanson 4-4 0-0 11; Brady Wood 4-6 0-0 10; Jayden Overmyer 4-7 0-0 8; Julian Swanson 3-8 0-0 6; Gage Riffle 2-11 0-0 5; Landon Patrick 0-1 3-4 3; Blayze Hensley 1-1 0-0 3; Isaac Quintana 1-2 0-0 2; Colton Large 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 19-42 4-6 49. Plymouth 8 8 5 5 - 26 Triton 9 11 14 15 - 49 3-point goals: Plymouth 4-21 (Dan Nguyen 1-1; Kyleb Ellery 1-5; Parker Bagley 1-6; Christian Cruz-Mahler 1-2; Kylen Ellery 0-5; Brady Allen 0-1; Grayson Terrone 0-1), Triton 7-18 (Jamison Swanson 3-3; Brady Wood 2-3; Blayze Hensley 1-1; Gage Riffle 1-7; Julian Swanson 0-1; Jayden Overmyer 0-1; Isaac Quintana 0-1; Landon Patrick 0-1). Total Fouls: Plymouth 11, Triton 12. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Plymouth 22 (Kylen Ellery 6, Kyleb Ellery 4, Dan Nguyen 4, Parker Wolfe 2, Parker Bagley 2, Adan Macias 1, Christian Cruz-Mahler 1), Triton 33 (Jayden Overmyer 6, Isaac Quintana 5, Julian Swanson 4, Brady Wood 3, Landon Patrick 2, Jamison Swanson 2, Gage Riffle 2, Jaidyn Arnett 1, Levi McFarland 1, Max Johnson 1, Colton Large 1). Assists: Plymouth 4 (Dan Nguyen 2, Kylen Ellery 1, Kyleb Ellery 1), Triton 12 (Julian Swanson 4, Landon Patrick 2, Jamison Swanson 2, Jayden Overmyer 2, Gage Riffle 1, Colton Large 1). Turnovers: Plymouth 10, Triton 8. Steals: Plymouth 4 (Parker Wolfe 2, Kyleb Ellery 1, Parker Bagley 1), Triton 7 (Landon Patrick 2, Jayden Overmyer 2, Jamison Swanson 1, Gage Riffle 1, Brady Wood 1). Blocks: Plymouth 2 (Kylen Ellery 2), Triton 2 (Jayden Overmyer 1, Julian Swanson 1). Records: Plymouth 1–1, Triton 2–0. Next: Triton vs NorthWood (Fri., Dec. 5, 7:30 pm); Plymouth vs LaPorte (Thu., Dec. 5). 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