Tigers will have familiar faces and new ones: 2024-25 Princeton Boys Basketball Preview

Princeton High School basketball fans will find some familiar faces, some old but familiar faces and some new ones suiting up for the Tigers this season.

The five returning seniors - Jayden Fulkerson, Wyatt Koning, Noah LaPorte, Jordan Reinhardt and Luke Smith - will be reunited with classmates Asa Gartin and Arthur Burden, who took last year off.

The Tigers also add the talents of senior Jeremy Borsch, who played on the JV last year, juniors Stihl Brokaw, Ryan Jagers, Gavin Lanham, Jackson Mason and Daniel Barnes, a transfer from Princeton Christian Academy, and sophomore Luke LaPorte.

“We have a solid group coming back. A group that played really well together this summer and that was without Ryan who was still coming off an ACL injury,” PHS coach Jason Smith said. “I love the way we compete and I believe we have quite a bit of depth this year. We might struggle early (due to extended football playoffs) but the more practices and games we have with each other and the more continuity, the better we will be.”

Everybody knows about the talents of Noah LaPorte, the Tigers 6-6 senior standout and Northwestern University football recruit. The BCR Player of the Year averaged 21.5 points and 12 rebounds a year ago and will be taking aim on the all-time school scoring record set by Grady Thompson two years ago.

Most of all, Smith wants LaPorte to be a leader this year.

“He’s going to do a lot on the basketball court for us. He needs to be the on the floor and off the floor leader that he’s capable of doing,” Smith said. “All eyes are on him this year. He’ll embrace that. He’s used to that all through football this year and last year and the focal point was on him last year anyway. I’m just looking forward to him being Noah LaPorte and he’ll do fine and help his team win. He wants to win. He doesn’t like to lose. It’s contagious and I love it.”

While Smith plans to play LaPorte more away from the basket this year and have him handle the ball some, the Tiger coach acknowledged there will be the Twin Towers in play with the LaPorte brothers, including the 6-4 and growing Luke.

“You’ll see a little LaPorte and LaPorte connection. You’ll see big brother get a little frustrated with little brother from time to time and probably vice-versa,’ Smith said with a laugh.

Reinhardt gives the Tigers a 3-point weapon and benefits starting the season healthy after having come in injured off football a year ago. He averaged 8.8 points and 3.7 rebounds as a junior.

Smith said it’s nice to have Gartin, a 6-2 forward, who played his freshman and sophomore seasons, back in the fold.

“I was disappointed he didn’t play last year. He’s just a nice addition,” Smith said. “He plays with a little edge, which is what a lot of these guys need. He’s got a lot of skill. He’s quick. He doesn’t get tired. He’s strong and can shoot the ball outside, but he’s a bit of a slasher for us. And he can play some defense. He’s smart and all those intangibles add up to pretty good basketball player.”

Burden, a standout linebacker for the Tiger football team who wrestled last year, will also be a nice addition, Smith said, providing some inside muscle as a 6-2 forward.

“He came in probably a quarter a way through the summer and asked me if he could play. I said, ‘Here’s a jersey. You bet.’ You can never have enough athletic, skilled kids,” Smith said. “He’s a strong physical kid. An athletic kid who likes to play basketball and is very coachable. He’s going to help, especially down low in rebounding and playing defense.”

Smith is excited to have Jagers back in action after missing his sophomore season and summer basketball recovering from an ACL injury. Classmates Lanham and Mason are expected to provide key minutes as well.

The Tiger coach said this may be his best shooting team with the likes of Reinhardt, Fulkerson, Noah LaPorte, Jagers and Mason.

Brokaw and Barnes will be utilized on the JV team along with juniors Cayden Benavidez, Eli Burden and Jack Orwig.

The Tigers have won three straight regionals, including two Sweet 16 appearances, and Smith said he’d be disappointed if they didn’t make another deep postseason run and play for another regional championship.

“Any time you have a talent of Noah and Jordan and combine them with a bunch of juniors the likes of Gavin, Ryan and Jackson and Luke LaPorte coming in as a sophomore, it’s good,” Smith said. “If we can get those guys all working the same rope, I like our chances in a lot of different aspects.”

The Tigers will open the season at the Shootin’ the Rock Shootout at Ottawa at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26 against Oak Forest.