McCune, Berndt, Schlemmer team up to help Culver knock out Triton

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Ava McCune Brianna Schlemmer

Girls basketball

Culver 37, Triton 30 (Friday): Ava McCune scored a game-high 14 points, Ashlynn Berndt added 11, and Brianna Schlemmer had 10 for Culver in a win over Triton in a Class 1A, Sectional 51 semifinal at Oregon-Davis Friday.

McCune only had one field goal but sank 12 of 22 free throws. She also had eight rebounds and four steals.

Berndt hit three 3-pointers and Schlemmer hit two.

Brooke Davis was held to two points but grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.

Savannah Hawley scored eight points to lead Triton (8-16).

Triton made just 1 of 7 free throws and committed 27 turnovers.

Culver jumped out to a 12-2 lead after one quarter. Triton stayed within 18-9 at halftime.

Culver is 4-0 against Triton since the start of the 2024-25 season.

Culver (17-6) will take on No. 4 Elkhart Christian in the final at 8 p.m. Eastern tonight. Elkhart Christian drubbed Trinity Greenlawn 59-20 in the other semifinal.

Elkhart Christian beat Culver 53-16 on Nov. 20 in Elkhart in their regular season meeting.

CULVER (37) (17-6)

Ava McCune 1 12-22 14, Ashlynn Berndt 4 0-0 11, Brianna Schlemmer 4 0-0 10, Eliana Andrzejewski 0 0-2 0, Brooke Davis 1 0-1 2, Haylie Parker 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 10 12-25 37

TRITON (30) (8-16)

Savannah Hawley 4 0-1 8, Sierra Hawley 1 1-4 3, McKinney 3 0-0 6, Groves 2 0-0 6, Hammond 0 0-0 0, Blanco 1 0-0 3, Kemp 0 0-0 0, Bules 0 0-0 0, Wright 0 0-0 0, Viers 2 0-2 4

TEAM: 13 1-7 30

Three-point field goals:

Culver 5 (Berndt 3, Schlemmer 2),

Triton 3 (Groves 2, Blanco)

Total fouls: Culver 12, Triton 19

Turnovers: Culver 16, Triton 27

Score by quarters

Culver 12 6 8 11 – 37

Triton 2 7 11 10 – 30