OTTUMWA, Iowa (Interstat) — The Indian Hills Warriors used a dominant second-half performance to pull away from the Triton Trojans for a 94-71 victory in a men’s junior college basketball game Tuesday night.

The game was a tale of two halves, with the first quarter featuring a tight, back-and-forth battle. Triton’s Matt Sullivan provided an early spark, hitting a 3-pointer and converting a three-point play in the final minute to help the Trojans take a narrow 36-35 lead into the break. The Warriors kept pace behind early contributions from Chiang Ring and Ater Manyuon.

The decisive shift came after halftime. Indian Hills emerged with renewed defensive intensity and offensive efficiency, quickly erasing the deficit. The Warriors opened the second half on a 19-2 run, transforming a one-point game into a commanding 54-38 advantage. Triton never recovered from the onslaught.

The most important part of the game was this third-quarter surge, fueled by Indian Hills’ stifling defense and a spectacular individual scoring display. The Warriors held Triton to just 35 points after halftime, forcing rushed shots and capitalizing on turnovers. Offensively, Chaz Watson took over. The Indian Hills star scored 23 of his game-high 29 points in the second half, including five 3-pointers, to systematically dismantle the Trojans’ defense. His back-to-back 3-pointers early in the half ignited the run and set the tone for the remainder of the game.

Watson’s backcourt mate, Taj Au-Duke, orchestrated the offense with eight assists, while Mason Costello controlled the glass with 12 rebounds to go with six assists. The Warriors’ commanding 55-29 rebounding advantage, including a 12-2 edge on the offensive boards, created numerous second-chance opportunities and limited Triton’s possessions.

For Triton, Sullivan led the way with 25 points, and Terez Holmes posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. But the Trojans struggled mightily from the field, shooting just 39 percent overall and 19 percent from 3-point range. The team managed only seven assists against 12 turnovers, highlighting the disruption caused by the Indian Hills defense.

Indian Hills improved its season record to 15-2 with the win, while Triton fell to 7-7. The Warriors’ offensive rating of 109.8 points per 100 possessions starkly outpaced the Trojans’ 82.3, underscoring the efficiency gap that widened in the second half.

The two teams are scheduled to meet again on Feb. 4 in River Grove, Illinois.

Indian Hills next plays at Highland (Ill.) on Jan. 22. Triton hosts Southeastern on Jan. 17.