Triton Athletics

Friday, December 12, 2025 BOURBON, Ind. — Senior guard Julian Swanson (Magic Swanson) pulled off tricks for a career-high 27 points, and the Triton Trojans forced 29 turnovers in a dominant 68-35 Hoosier North Athletic Conference victory over Pioneer at the Trojan Trench. The victory improved Triton to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in HNAC play, while Pioneer fell to 0-4 on the season and 0-1 in conference. The win also marked a significant milestone for head coach Jason Groves, who earned his 350th career victory. Groves now holds a career record of 350-153 (.696 winning percentage), including a dominant 189-56 mark at home, 120-83 on the road, and 33-18 at neutral sites. In conference play, he has compiled an impressive 112-31 record. Swanson's Offensive Explosion Julian Swanson was nearly unstoppable, connecting on 11-of-17 shots from the field, including 5-of-9 from three-point range. The senior guard's 27-point performance marked a career high and set the tone for the Trojans' offensive assault. "It's a blessing to get to play with these guys," Swanson said. "I've been playing with them since fourth grade and I think the chemistry really showed tonight. What we can do when we're playing together and everybody's doing their part." Swanson's sharpshooting from beyond the arc was particularly impressive, as he consistently found open looks created by Triton's ball movement and Pioneer's aggressive defensive pressure. Balanced Attack Supports Swanson Sophomore Brady Wood (Brady Buckets) added 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, connecting on 2-of-7 from three-point range. Wood has emerged as a consistent scoring threat for the Trojans throughout the early season. Senior sharpshooter Gage Riffle (The Mailman) delivered 11 points, going 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Riffle's ability to knock down perimeter shots helped stretch Pioneer's zone defense and create driving lanes for his teammates. Senior point guard Landon Patrick (Master of Chaos) orchestrated the offense with six assists while adding six points. Patrick's ability to find the open man was crucial in Triton's offensive execution. "I think it's just an unselfish factor that we have with our team," Patrick said. "We just always want to find the guy who's hot and tonight Julian was hot. Gage started to catch fire at the end. In practice, we always just one more, one more, one more just to get the best shot we can. I feel like we did a good job of that tonight." Sophomore Jamison Swanson contributed three points and three assists, while sophomore Isaac Quintana and sophomore Blayze Hensley each added two points. Defensive Dominance Creates Offense Triton's relentless defensive pressure was the story of the night, forcing 29 Pioneer turnovers and converting them into a staggering 44 points. The Trojans' aggressive approach overwhelmed the Panthers from the opening tip. "I talked to the kids about just being aggressive defensively, let the defense kind of set the tone for our offense," head coach Jason Groves said. "Thought we did that. We came out aggressive... they aired on the side of being aggressive and I like that." Brady Wood led the defensive effort with six steals, while Landon Patrick added four steals and Julian Swanson contributed three. The Trojans' ability to create turnovers and push the tempo in transition was a dominant factor throughout the contest. Triton held Pioneer to just 41.4% shooting (12-of-29) from the field and forced the Panthers into difficult shots against constant pressure. Julian Swanson emphasized the team's defensive identity. "We've been a really good defensive team in the past," Swanson said. "Last year, we were number one in defensive average. And I think this year we're forcing more turnovers and getting more points off that. It really helps the offense." Groves stressed the importance of making plays away from the ball. "Within a basketball game, you have the ball in your hand about 5% of the game," Groves said. "So what are you doing with that other 95%? Are you getting rebounds? Are you setting screens? Are you playing defense? We've been talking about just making those winning plays." Panthers Unable to Match Triton's Intensity Pioneer was led by senior Mason Shaver's eight points and senior Gabriel Scott's 10 points. Senior Phillip McFatridge and junior Ronald Layer each contributed five points. The Panthers struggled to generate consistent offense against Triton's relentless pressure, unable to establish any rhythm throughout the contest. Game Flow Triton jumped out to an 18-5 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. The Trojans extended their advantage to 36-16 at halftime before adding to their lead in the third quarter. Triton outscored Pioneer 13-12 in the third quarter to take a commanding 49-28 lead into the final period. The fourth quarter saw the Trojans pull away further, as the largest lead reached 33 points and they cruised to the comfortable victory. Looking Ahead The victory marked Triton's fourth win in five games to start the season. The Trojans have a quick turnaround with a tough home test coming up. Triton hosts Bethany Christian on Tuesday, December 16, at 7:30 p.m. for a matchup against a strong Bruins team that defeated Mishawaka earlier this season. "Bethany Christian beat Mishawaka," Groves said. "They have a lot back from last year. They lost some of their big guys, but they have a lot of their guards. They're very quick. They can shoot the ball. They spread you out. They're really scrappy." The Trojans then close out 2025 with a crucial HNAC road game at Winamac on Friday, December 20. "Winamac will I'm assuming be 5-0 when we head there," Groves said. "A huge conference game at their place." Pioneer, meanwhile, looks to bounce back when they travel to Argos on Thursday, December 19. • TRITON 68, PIONEER 35 At Trojan Trench PIONEER: Gabriel Scott 3-8 2-4 10; Mason Shaver 2-4 4-8 8; Phillip McFatridge 2-3 1-2 5; Ronald Layer 2-3 0-0 5; Shiloh Rine 2-6 0-0 4; Kayden Rigney 0-0 0-0 0; Jaxson Merrick 1-4 0-0 3. Totals 12-29 7-14 35. TRITON: Julian Swanson 11-17 0-0 27; Brady Wood 5-12 1-2 13; Gage Riffle 3-7 2-2 11; Landon Patrick 3-3 0-1 6; Jamison Swanson 1-4 1-2 3; Blayze Hensley 0-1 2-2 2; Isaac Quintana 1-2 0-2 2; Max Johnson 1-1 0-1 2; Colton Large 1-2 0-2 2. Totals 26-53 6-14 68. Pioneer 5 11 7 12 - 35 Triton 18 13 19 18 - 68 3-point goals: Pioneer 4-12 (Gabriel Scott 2-6, Ronald Layer 1-1, Jaxson Merrick 1-4), Triton 10-27 (Julian Swanson 5-9, Gage Riffle 3-7, Brady Wood 2-7). Total Fouls: Pioneer 14, Triton 17. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Pioneer 24 (Shiloh Rine 6, Gabriel Scott 6, Phillip McFatridge 2, Greyden Jones 3, Ronald Layer 1, Xander Bullock 2, Jaxson Merrick 1), Triton 27 (Jamison Swanson 3, Julian Swanson 3, Jayden Overmyer 2, Isaac Quintana 1, Gage Riffle 1, Brady Wood 2, Landon Patrick 3, Max Johnson 2, Colton Large 1). Assists: Pioneer 7 (Kayden Rigney 2, Shiloh Rine 2, Mason Shaver 1, Jaxson Merrick 2), Triton 15 (Landon Patrick 6, Julian Swanson 4, Jamison Swanson 3, Brady Wood 2). Turnovers: Pioneer 29, Triton 12. Steals: Pioneer 4 (Xander Bullock 1, Phillip McFatridge 1, Shiloh Rine 1, Mason Shaver 1), Triton 20 (Brady Wood 6, Landon Patrick 4, Julian Swanson 3, Gage Riffle 3, Jamison Swanson 2, Jayden Overmyer 2). Blocks: Pioneer 3 (Shiloh Rine 2, Gabriel Scott 1), Triton 0. Records: Pioneer 0–1 (0-1 HNAC), Triton 4–1 (2-0 HNAC). Next: Bethany Christian at Triton (Tue., Dec. 16, 7:30 pm); Pioneer at Argos (Thu., Dec. 19). Article writing assisted by AI Media outlets and fans are encouraged to share our posts on Facebook; however, you may not reproduce the articles or accompanying images on your own website.