Martin’s big night not enough for shorthanded Platte County at Truman

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Platte County can’t seem to keep a consistent rotation and results have led to trying circumstances for the entire season.

Truman provided the latest setback in Thursday’s 64-47 win, pulling away late behind a balanced offense. The Patriots never trailed after hot outside shooting fueled a fast start, and a balanced offense staved off a pair of challenges in the first half.

Platte County (4-17) played without junior guard Jordan Moore (ankle) for a second straight game, while junior Jude Brown, recently installed as a starter in an effort to fuel more production, didn’t travel due to illness. The Pirates have lost four straight — all in Suburban Conference White Division play — as persistent changes to the lineup on a roster already thin on experience creates difficult conditions.

With options limited, Platte County senior guard Jayden Martin attempted to shoulder the scoring burden and provide a chance to spring the upset. He totaled a team-high 24 points and led the biggest run after the Pirates fell behind by double digits late in the first quarter.

Truman hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter and led 18-6 going to the second.

Platte County answered with a 12-3 run, and Martin, who scored the Pirates’ first four points, hit a 3 to close the gap to seven points. The Patriots answered with a fourth 3-pointer, only to cede the next seven straight.

After a knifing layup from junior impact reserve Elijah Hockaday, Platte County junior guard Jacoby Keith cut the deficit to 21-18 with just over 5 minutes left before halftime.

Truman (14-7) twice saw the lead dwindle to one possession but created separation again with an 11-0 run capped with a dunk from senior Roman Rosenbaum off of a turnover.

Platte County went into halftime down 35-22 then twice cut the deficit to 10 points — first on the second of Martin’s three 3-pointers then on a layup for junior forward Brock Dye (seven points). The Pirates couldn’t counter three Truman players to finish in double figures in scoring. The Patriots countered with a three-point play and a second transition dunk for Rosenbaum, who finished with 17 points.

Truman led by as much as 23 in the fourth quarter after senior guard Triston Daniels beat the third quarter buzzer with a dagger 3-pointer. He notched a team-high 18 points, while senior guard Doral Thompson added 11 and junior Louis Kelso hit three of the Patriots’ six treys to finish with nine points.

The two teams met twice this season with Truman barely hanging on for a 55-53 victory in early January at Pirate Fieldhouse.

Platte County continues to heavily rely on Martin, who missed a potential game-tying shot in the the first loss to the Patriots, as the lone returning starter and one of only three players with any varsity experience on the current roster. That group includes Moore, who started the season late along with Brown after they helped the Pirates to a second straight undefeated state championship in football.

Moore developed into a secondary scoring option in recent weeks, putting up 23 points in Platte County’s most recent win — a 59-54 nonconference triumph over Fort Osage in the fifth-place game of the Grain Valley Invitational. The Pirates have dropped four straight since then with Moore missing the past two after going down with an ankle injury in the first half of last week’s loss to Raytown.

With Keith limited to just the one basket against Truman, Dye and Hockaday, who played limited minutes last season along with Moore, played a bigger role. Hockaday turned in an encouraging half, putting up seven of his nine points after the break, but Platte County junior Andrew Parrish and sophomore MaCallen McMillian (two points apiece) were the only other players to score. The Pirates started senior forward Bryton Bertram and junior Isaac Nelson as part of the limited eight-player rotation with Moore and Brown out.

Platte County remains winless in White Division play with five games left in the regular season.

Grain Valley 62, Platte County 35

The Eagles swept the third game of this year’s season series in Tuesday’s conference matchup in Grain Valley.

Platte County lost touch in the first half with all 15 points before the break coming on 3-pointers — two each for Martin and Keith. The Pirates lost all three games this season against their conference rival by double digits with this the closest final margin.

Martin finished with 11 points, while Keith added nine on three 3-pointers. Dye and Brown added one field goal each from beyond the arc to account for their three points apiece, while sophomore Andrew Antone hit one in the fourth quarter with Platte County playing reserves late. Brock VanVactor, another sophomore, plus Bertram and Nelson rounded out the Pirates’ scorers with two points apiece.