The Princeton High School boys’ basketball will not allow close defeats to to ruin what lies ahead this season.
The Little Tigers are on a two-game losing streak after they fell on Jan. 14 against West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, 43-37, in Princeton.
“We are playing well and playing hard. We just haven’t executed when we needed to win games,” said coach Pat Noone, whose Princeton squad slipped to 3-6 after the loss to West Windsor-Plainsboro North. said. “We have been in every single one of our games. We beat ourselves sometimes, because we have the ability to make a run.”
The coach continued to point out the positives and what Princeton must achieve.
“This team has great fight. We just have to get over the hump of winning,” Noone said. “I just want to see the continued effort. That is really all that you can control. You can’t control if you make shots or turnovers, but you can can control how hard you play. In that aspect the team is really playing hard.”
Noone believes the Princeton defense has performed well in the first part of the season.
“I think our defense has been great at this point in the season. I think unfortunately down the stretch you see the scores get a little higher, because of the situation,” Noone explained. “Down the stretch you try to make plays and take gambles.”
Princeton players and coaches said the team offensively needs to make more shots and build more confidence.
“We just need to put the ball in the basket offensively. I think it is confidence. Like anything else, if you see the ball go in a few times it will go on,” Noone said. “Right now we have not seen the ball go in a lot this year. It probably subconsciously is holding us back.”
The Little Tigers are led by senior forward Gefen Bar-Cohen, who has averaged 13.5 points a game. He is followed by junior forward Ethan Guy, who contributes 13 points a game , and junior guard Tim Evidente, who averages 7.9 points.
“We really want play hard out there and what this season comes down to is executing. We play our hearts out and sometimes you do not get what you want,” Bar-Cohen said. “Hopefully we can go out there and win the next games.”
He said that the team just needs to hit their shots and the season will get back on track.
“Whatever it takes, which includes getting to the gym 30 minutes early and taking shots prior to games. We want capitalize on our open shots,” Bar-Cohen said. “Motivation is still there and the season is still running. We have a lot of games left this season. I am optimistic for the rest of the season.”
Princeton’s next game is a home matchup against Steinert High School on Jan. 17 at 5:30 p.m.
