Lindside – James Monroe and Princeton came into Tuesday’s showdown in different boats.
The Mavericks already had a game under their belts as well as a full preseason of practices. Four of Princeton’s five starters are just nine days removed from hoisting a football state championship. And it showed.
The Mavericks blistered the nets to the tune of 59 percent shooting from the field in the second half of a 77-58 drubbing of the Tigers in Lindside.
Still looking to get in basketball shape after a historic football run, Princeton struggled to find the bottom of the net through the first four minutes of the contest, turned the ball over 13 times in the first half and shot just 33 percent (8-for-24) from the field in the first 16 minutes.
“We knew we’d struggle early this season,” Princeton head coach Robb Williams said. “The football success is to my detriment in basketball. Real proud of those guys in football but it doesn’t really help. Our starting point guard (Brad Mossor) just got out of the hospital today. We started a freshman who did a good job and worked his butt off but the fact is we didn’t move the ball enough.
“When you’re playing an aggressive team that’s a good team, they were in our face, we just didn’t respond. We’ve had seven practices and you can’t mimic that. We press, we wanted to press but the guys are just gassed right now. You’ve got to put in some time before you get better.”
James Monroe struggled to find its outside stroke in the first half, shooting 52 percent (13-for-25) from inside the arc but just 18 percent (2-for-11) outside of it. That changed in the second half where standouts Ryan Mann and Kadyn Hines erupted.
Mann scored 10 of his 17 points in the second half while Hines netted 18 of his team-high 21 after the intermission. Those performances came despite the pair battling foul trouble with three each at the break.
“They’re the keys to our team,” James Monroe head coach Kelly Mann said. “They’re two really good players and we have lots of good players, but they’re two really good players. At halftime we were up 10 and I was pretty unhappy because I felt they picked up what I would call less than solid fouls. Every now and then you’re going to get some when you play solidly but I don’t like poor reaching fouls or just not taking the proper angle and they had a couple of them each.
“Honestly I coach my best players the hardest and sometimes they look at me like, ‘I’m playing a pretty good game.’ but I have such high expectations out of both of them. That was the halftime message to them. We can’t come into every game and have you two with two or three fouls each.”
The Mavericks led wire to wire, taking a 2-0 lead on a Jayden Miller jumper, extending the advantage to 6-1 after five grueling minutes of offensive basketball.
Cam Woods scored the first five points for the Tigers who drew within four at 9-5 but saw the deficit reach eight after layups from Hines and Lane Taylor. The Mavs led 15-7 after a frame, extending the advantage to double digits when Mann nailed a 3 to open the second.
The Tigers responded with a 10-4 run to get back within five points but saw the lead quickly ballon to 12 and sit at nine heading into the break.
That’s when the firm of Mann and Hines took over. A layup from Manns extended the lead to 41-18 midway through the third quarter and Hines followed with a 3-pointer.
A pair of Jayce Gum layups and another by Chance Barker brought the Tigers back to within 10 but five quick points from Jayden Miller to close the quarter put the hosts ahead 53-37.
Eight points early in the fourth from Manns and Hines pushed the lead to 20 and the game was never in doubt afterwards with the lead expanding to as many as 24 points.
That offensive success was spurred largely by efficient ball movement as the Mavericks assisted on 19 of their 32 made field goals.
“In all honesty I have to give the boys credit for the offense,” Coach Mann said. “We have a lot of kids with offensive skills. We’re not doing anything special, just playing basketball on the offensive end, a few sets here and there but for the most part I want them to learn how to play the game and play with each other and take what’s there and they;’re doing that.”
“They’re shooting willingly and w have a couple guys that are mismatches and they’ve got to bring help which is creating good shots.”
Lane Taylor (10), Wyatt Mann (10) and Jayden Miller (11) joined Hines and Mann in double figures.
Gum led all scorers with 24 points while Cam Wood netted 16.
P: 7 12 13 21 – 58
JM: 15 18 20 24 – 77
Princeton
Cam Woods 16, Jayce Gum 24, Wyatt Cline 3, Chance Barker 7, Jett Tunstalle 4, Zayden Neely 4
James Monroe
Karyn Hines 21, Lane Taylor 10, Jayden Miller 11, Bryer Surface 5, Ben Comer 2, Wyatt Mann 10, Brycen PArker 1, Ryan Mann 17
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