Wolves weather storm to play for semi-state title
INDIANAPOLIS — Playing in four straight semi-states certainly has its advantages. Once again Parke Heritage was in that position Saturday afternoon at Southport as the fourth-ranked Wolves battled the No. 6 ranked Triton Central Tigers with a spot in the Class 2A semi-state championship game at stake. The battle-tested Wolves did just enough to hold off a defensive-minded Tigers squad and secure a 44-38 win.
The first-quarter, as it typically is was a feeling out process between the two teams but the Wolves were able to lead 9-5. To begin the second, Issac Pickel scored inside to give Parke Heritage (25-4) an 11-5 lead. Triton Central (23-4) continued to battle and stay in the game thanks to its shooting from long range. Jackson Faust responded after Pickel’s basket with a trey and then two straight baskets by Grant Long and another three, this time from Brady Hartman evened the score at 13-13 with 2:35 to play until halftime. Treigh Schelsky converted an and-one to give the Wolves a 16-13 lead but Hartman buried another triple with 1:17 to go and the two teams would enter the locker room tied at 16-16.
Triton Central briefly secured their first lead of the game (20-19) at the 6-minute mark of the third when Brayden Hoover knocked down a three. A quick 7-2 spurt by the Wolves saw Brendan Goins hit a mid-range two, Schelsky and Carter Crum each knock down one of two at the foul line then Leyton McMullen buried a three to make it 25-21. After an Eli Sego jumper, Schelksy ended the quarter with an emphatic and-one to give the Wolves a 28-23 lead going into the final quarter of play.
Despite drawing as close as two points multiple times throughout the final quarter, Parke Heritage had an answer at every turn. With the Tigers not able to make enough shots in the final minutes, the Wolves iced the game at the foul line.
“Our experience really showed in this game especially down the stretch,” Wolves coach Rich Schelsky said. “That’s where having our point guard (Treigh) who has played in a semi-state for four straight years along with guys like Carter Crum and Brendan Goins who have played in three straight semi-state environments. We just don’t fold under pressure because we understood that this game was going to be a grind.
“Triton Central just gets down and guards you so well and play pretty physical too. For a team that averages just under 70 a game, for us to only have 16 points at halftime, a lot of kids would be panicking but not us. We threw the ball into the post more in the second half which is why we scored a lot more and the rest is history.”
The 38 points by the Tigers are the fewest they’ve scored in a game this season. That makes it two straight weekends where the Wolves have held their opponents to the lowest point total in a game. Rich, who is an old-fashioned get up and guard you, play great defense style of coach has no problem with his team being able to grind out defensive games.
“We’re known as an offensive team but at the end of the day their coach for whatever reason is a defensive guy,” Schelsky said. “Even though I like to score points, defense is always going to be a staple of our program. When we have a week to prepare for someone, we’re going to have a good game plan. Our kids these last two weeks have really done a tremendous job of executing our defensive game plan and the results speak for themselves.”
Treigh led all scores in the game with 19 points and five rebounds for Parke Heritage. Crum added in 10 points and seven rebounds with Goins scoring eight, Pickel four and McMullen three.
The Wolves shot 14-33 (42%) from the field in the win, 3-12 (25%) from three and 13-18 (72%) from the foul line in the win while collecting 29 rebounds and turning the ball over just eight times.
Triton Central shot 13-34 (38%) for the game and 24 of their 34 shots came from three where they made just eight of their 24 attempts. They went 4-6 from the foul line and grabbed 14 rebounds while turning the ball over four times.
Eli Sego led the Tigers with 18 points, Hartman chipped in nine, Faust six, Henry Kemper three and Grant Long two.
Parke Heritage now will get to play the Linton-Stockton Miners after Linton defeated Austin in an absolute thriller of game 82-74 in overtime. The game will be a re-match of 2023 semi-state title game where the Wolves fell 87-59.
With being just a game away from the state championship now three straight years, Schelsky knows that his team has the skill to get there, it’s more of a mental challenge that his group will have to overcome.
“For us it’s way more mental than anything,” he said. “We obviously are going to get some rest and come ready to go. I think the mental is bigger for us right now. We talked about it in the locker room that this is the thrird straight year we’ve been here. The last two have ended with tears in our eyes and guys thinking we missed a major opportunity. Well the door is open for us once again and we just have to take advantage. It’s our guys time to finally break through.”
The Wolves and Miners will tip off back from Southport at 8 p.m. with the winner punching their ticket to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the Class 2A State Championship.
PH 9 7 12 16 - 44
TC 5 11 7 15 - 38
Parke Heritage (25-4) FG-FGA FT-FTA PTS: Brendan Goins 3-8 0-0 8, Leyton McMullen 1-2 0-0 3, Joel Miller 0-2 0-0 0, Treigh Schelsky 5-13 9-12 19, Isaac Pickel 2-2 0-0 4, Carter Crum 3-6 4-6 10; Totals 14-33 13-18 44
Triton Central (23-4) FG-FGA FT-FTA PTS: Jackson Faust 2-9 0-2 6, Brady Hartman 3-6 0-0 9, Eli Sego 6-13 4-4 18, Brayden Hoover 1-2 0-0 3, Henry Kemper 0-2 0-0 0, Grant Long 1-1 0-0 2, Connor McClure 0-1 0-0 0; Totals 13-34 4-6 38
3-Point Shooting: Parke Heritage 3-12 (Goins 2-6, McMullen 1-2, Miller 0-2, Schelsky 0-2); Triton Central 8-24 (Hartman 3-6, Faust 2-9, Sego 2-7, Hoover 1-1, Kemper 0-1)
Rebounds: Parke Heritage 29 (Pickel 10, Crum 7, Schelsky 5, McMullen 3, Goins 1, Team 3); Triton Central 14 (Sego 4, Hartman 4, Kemper 2, Hoover 1, Faust 1, Bailey 1, Team 1)
Turnovers: Parke Heritage 8; Triton Central 4