October 07, 2024
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Boys basketball: Princeton tops Sandwich despite ‘sloppy’ performance

By Kevin Hieronymus
Princeton's Teegan Davis shoots away from Sandwich's Owen Sheley Tuesday at Prouty Gym. The Tigers won 60-43.

Princeton's Teegan Davis shoots away from Sandwich's Owen Sheley Tuesday at Prouty Gym. The Tigers won 60-43. (Mike Vaughn)

PRINCETON – The No. 2 ranked Class 2A Princeton Tigers have won all 17 times they have taken the basketball court this season.

Tuesday’s 60-43 win over visiting Sandwich was not one of the Tigers’ sharpest games of the year. They had a 14-0 run to end the first quarter and doubled up the Indians with leads of 30-15 at the half and 40-20 late in the third quarter.

But they never could seem to run away with the game in the second half with their usual stamp of dominance.

Coach Jason Smith described the Tigers’ play as sloppy.

“I thought our defense was really good first half. I thought it was sloppy second half,” Smith said. “I thought offensively we showed some spurts where we were really good and then we became sloppy. I would sum this game up as being sloppy.

“Hats off to Sandwich for playing us as hard as they did. We’ve just got to clean things up.”

Smith said there always are lessons learned after a game like this.

“We talk about not settling, being 17-0 and playing a brand of basketball we’re proud of. And a brand of basketball we know we can play. And that wasn’t tonight,” Smith said. “And that had nothing to do with Sandwich’s play. It was our demeanor, our selfishness, both offensively and defensively, and we’ve got to do better starting tomorrow.”

Princeton's Christian Rosario shoots over Rochelle's Austin Marks Tuesday at Prouty Gym. The Tigers won 60-43.

Princeton's Christian Rosario shoots over Rochelle's Austin Marks Tuesday at Prouty Gym. The Tigers won 60-43. (Mike Vaughn)

Senior Grady Thompson didn’t feel like the Tigers played a good “team” game and said Smith had a discussion about it in the locker room after the game.

“I think our first half we played well defensively, but offensively we weren’t playing as a team. That’s something we’ll work on in practice the next two days,” Thompson said.

“I think we can do better at that (team play),” acknowledging he did discuss that with his team “in house” after the game,” Smith said.

The Indians (12-8) held an early 6-2 lead, but Teegan Davis got the Tigers going with nine first quarter points, including a three-point play on a quick pass from junior point guard Korte Lawson to give them a 16-6 lead at quarter’s end.

“Just trying to do what I can for the team to win,” Davis said. “We just had to pick up the tempo. We kind of played lackadaisical to start the game. Just had to go and attack them and stuff.”

Thompson had three straight hoops to give the Tigers a 25-10 edge halfway through the second quarter. Sophomore forward Noah LaPorte took in a layup off a steal and Thompson scored on a drive through traffic from the right baseline to end the half at 30-10.

Sandwich's Quinton Rome bats a ball away from Princeton's Kolten Monroe Tuesday at Prouty Gym. The Tigers won 60-43.

Sandwich's Quinton Rome bats a ball away from Princeton's Kolten Monroe Tuesday at Prouty Gym. The Tigers won 60-43. (Mike Vaughn)

Princeton's Grady Thompson shoots over Sandwich's Owen Sheely Tuesday at Prouty Gym. The Tigers won 60-43.

Princeton's Grady Thompson shoots over Sandwich's Owen Sheely Tuesday at Prouty Gym. The Tigers won 60-43. (Mike Vaughn)

Thompson carried his hot hand over to the third quarter. He scored two buckets in a row and two free throws to give the Tigers a 38-18 lead.

Davis and Christian Rosario each sank a pair of free throws to put the Tigers ahead 47-25 with 6:09 left. Thompson scored seven more points in the fourth quarter before he departed to help build a 58-35 lead, the Tigers largest of the night.

Davis said the Tigers still are feeling their way a bit to start the new year.

“We had a long break. It’s our third game coming back from break. Trying to pick up where we left off and everything,” Davis said.

Thompson, who is taking aim on Joe Ruklick’s all-time Princeton scoring record of 1,306, finished with a game-high 23 points with Davis chipping in 19.

For Sandwich (12-8), Chance Lange scored 13 points and Evan Gottlieb had 11.

Tiger tales: Princeton won the sophomore game 62-36. Jordan Reinhardt led the Kittens (13-3) with 19 points while Jayden Fulkerson added 14 points and Asa Gartin 13. Princeton returns to action Friday at Sterling Newman.