Through seven games in the 2020-2021 season, the Trenton High School varsity basketball teams have each run identical 2-5 records. The issues causing the slow starts for both the Trenton boys and girls are easily spotted, but differ from one team to the other.
For the Trenton girls, finding offense continues to be a work in progress. The boys, meanwhile, are turning the ball over at a far too high rate and giving up plenty of second-chance looks to opposing teams.
Playing host to South Harrison on Friday night, those issues were magnified. Trenton’s girls again struggled offensively and playing with just five players due to wholesale quarantines up and down the roster amplified that problem. Trenton’s boys didn’t start a player over 5-10 due to Royce Jackson missing the game with a knee injury sustained against Princeton earlier in the week. That allowed South Harrison, mostly 6-6 center Luke Karns, plenty of second-chance looks.
The end results were predictable home losses for Trenton. The girls, despite nearly overcoming a 15-0 deficit in the second quarter, fell 35-25 and finished the game with just four players on the floor. The boys, meanwhile, were defeated 61-40.
It was the third-straight loss for the girls and fourth for the boys as Trenton stumbled into Christmas break.
GIRLS
Starting the game with just five players showed an impact early as South Harrison ran out to a 13-0 first quarter lead. The visitors had the first bucket of the second quarter as well, going up 15-0 before Trenton finally found its first points of the night. Trenton would make a run at that point, clawing its way back into the game. The Bulldogs had the deficit cut to just five points a couple of times in the fourth quarter, but when Morgan King went down with an ankle injury late, it left Trenton playing with just four to South Harrison’s five. As a result, the lead doubled as South Harrison escaped with the 10-point win.
“We did everything right, but shots just didn’t go in,” Trenton coach Kameron Cool said. “Down 15-0 and not getting a bucket until late in the second quarter, a lot of teams would have just quit. I can’t say enough about the character of the girls to fight back and give themselves a chance to win the game, even with only four players. It was one of my proudest moments as a coach.”
Rebecca Urich led Trenton with 11 points while Chandler Lynch followed with six and Mallory Sole added four. Three points from King and one from Teya Cooksey rounded out the team’s total.
BOYS
The Trenton boys showed the way early and traded the lead back-and-forth late in the first quarter, but South Harrison’s size advantage eventually took its toll. Trenton stayed within striking distance in the second quarter, but a 20-10 third-quarter run by South Harrison essentially put the game in hand.
“Shooting went well early,” Bulldogs’ coach Corbin Coe said. “Then we missed several wide-open looks in the first half. Our biggest issue was second-chance points, though. Twenty-eight second chance points for South Harrison was the difference in the game.”
The Bulldogs were led by Chase Otto’s 17 points and Brycin Loyd’s 15. Tucker Otto had five points, Gabe Novak scored two and Randy Bowden finished with one.
UP NEXT
Trenton’s games at Meadville on Monday night were cancelled. The Bulldogs will return to the floor on Jan. 5, hosting Gallatin in a Grand River Conference doubleheader in Trenton. Action begins at 6 p.m.