Game against West Windsor Plainsboro North High School. PHS-73; WWPN-56

BY JAMIE PERETZMAN-Going on the road in the Colonial Valley Conference is never easy. But against West Windsor North Princeton High School tamed its unfamiliar surroundings with hard nosed defense and an explosive offense, always the recipe for success away from home. The convincing seventeen point victory improved the Little Tigers record to 7-3.

Once again, PHS did not come out to start the game with the intensity and high quality play they exhibited later in the game. This tendency of getting off to slow starts has become a dangerous pattern for PHS. The Little Tigers ended the first quarter with a 15-9 lead. However, as the game progressed PHS cranked it up considerably. The traveling PHS fans made the tough conference road game a virtual home game.

Leading at halftime 32-20. PHS knew that its former assistant coach Dale Florio, now the head man at WW-P, was going to have his team playing hard in the second half. PHS needed to match and then surpass North's intensity. They did just that.

Midway through the third quarter PHS extended its lead to 18 points and ended the third quarter leading North 52-37. This 15 point lead however, turned very quickly into an 8 point lead. But because North had entered the penalty with their fouls fairly early in the half PHS was able to close the game out from the free throw line. PHS, although not a great foul shooting team, with a free throw percentage of 60%, was able to convert enough from the line to close out the game. Overall PHS went 22 for 34 (65%) from the line.

Any time a team can win a conference game on the road, it is an accomplishment. Even more of an accomplishment is holding the usually high scoring Knights to only 56 points.

DeQuan Holman lead the scoring with 18 points, Brian Dunlap followed with 17 points and 4 assists. Skye Ettin had a double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds and Thatcher Foster added 11 points including a clutch 3 for 3 from the foul line.

PHS will take on Vorhees High School on Saturday, January 24 at 1:00 in the Princeton High School gym.