Triton head coach Jason Groves has guided the Trojans to the state finals four different times, including this weekend’s trip to face Borden for the Class 1-A championship. (Photo by Mike Deak)

BOURBON — Their mettle has been tested by some of the best teams in the state. Their demeanor, as smooth as silk. With just one more test in front of them, it’s like walking into a green room on a Hollywood set.

One might think the buzz of ‘State Week’ would crack the shells of these boys basketball players at Triton. The excitement on campus. The hurdle clearing of four state-ranked teams and the redemption of a fifth matchup to reach the state championship game. But these kids have been through this song and dance before. The 10:30 a.m. game Saturday against No. 10 Borden (23-3) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis really seems like just another team on the slate. Another hopeful checkmark to put on the list.

Whether they played on the floor of then Conseco Fieldhouse in 2011 during Triton’s last appearance in a Class 1-A championship game or were just watching, these kids have not swayed one bit from their demeanor heading into the sectional. Culver, Canterbury, Borden or anyone in between, the mantra has been the same.

“The neat thing about this season is that we have grown and evolved as a team,” said Triton head coach Jason Groves, whose club is 20-5 entering Saturday’s final. “At the beginning of the year, I think Clay (Yeo) was getting frustrated. He felt like he had to do everything. I’m not so sure the trust factor with everybody was there on the court. And at times, Clay did have to do everything. But credit to the other kids, they just kept getting better as the season went along and we had better practices.

“Everybody started trusting each other and started stepping up and scoring more and understanding their role.”

It would be easy to point at Yeo and anoint him the savior. Granted, the fantastic senior has carried quite the load, scoring 116 of Triton’s 228 points in the five tournament games. But those 116 points would not win any of those five games by themselves. And Yeo knows it – he needs his teammates. Enter the script Triton has thus far followed to a tee.

“After Cody (Shively) hit that three (against LCC), I just ran up to him and started laughing, he started laughing,” Yeo said with a big grin. “We just try to have fun on the floor. That’s what it’s all about, just enjoy things. When they make those baskets or make an incredible play, I can’t wait to be there for them. We are just really enjoying basketball right now.”

It really has been about the team. And without the role players, this team is not where they are today. Nor are they in the state finals for the fourth time in six years. Groves has been preaching it, from the grinder games against Plymouth and NorthWood in November to the testy moments last Saturday against a Lafayette Central Catholic team who were not afraid to go right after Yeo. The role players matter, and have been the galvanizing source of this tournament run.

“Our mindset is when we go into the game, we are going to go in and shut down our man,” Shively said. “If one of us gets beat, one of the teammates will step over and help them out. It’s just our mindset to step up.”

“I just want to move the ball around, get the defense moving and do the things coach wants me to do,” said senior Drew Mosson, who has started just one of the 21 games in which he appeared this season. “Get the ball to Clay, Tanner (Shepherd), hope they can get open shots or maybe hit Seth Glingle in the post if he has a good look.”

Even guys who don’t see the court much are right in line with the mentality.

“I don’t get the playing time that I would like to get, but I know the role I play for this team and I go as hard as I can in practice, every day,” said senior Trent Cooper, who hasn’t played one second of the state tournament. “I know if I work as hard as I can, it is only going to help the guys who are playing that much more.

“It’s about more than just me, it’s about the entire community, it’s about the program. We are lucky to be part of it. To work hard every day to represent the Triton name. To all of the people who played before us. And for the kids who are coming up that will play after I graduate.”

Fellow senior Bryson Mosier, who has played just over 10 minutes in the tournament, echoed those same points.

“I just remember how much fun that was and how hard those seniors worked us,” Mosier said of the 2011 state experience. “It kind of reflected back on us this year with us working as hard as we can. It was just really fun to watch those guys win as many games as they did.

“My job is just to help out the team any way I can. It’s not about how many minutes I get, it’s about how much I can help this team win.”

Without the glue guys like Mosson or Mosier, or guys like Dillon Meadway or Skyler Reichert who have hit big shots in big moments, Triton would be at home, watching the games on TV like the other 393 teams around the state that would love a crack at the bright lights of Indianapolis.

But this team has a plan. They have one more chance to get the script right in front of its biggest audience yet.