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January 11, 2013

AP Poll: Tigerettes basketball third in AAA

By KIMBERLY COOK

PRINCETON — Rankings, road wins and record-setting: What a week for the Princeton Tigerettes basketball team.

On Monday, the state AP poll for West Virginia girls basketball placed Princeton in the third-place spot of AAA schools.

On Tuesday, the Tigerettes traveled to Oakhill to take on the Red Devils and won by score of 101-17. It is important to note that Oak Hill is in a rebuilding phase of their program and new to the class AAA, having been AA for numerous years.

The entire Tigerette bench played and contributed to the win, with all players scoring all the while, showing character and respect for their opponent.

Mckenzie Akers also surpassed the all-time scoring record for Princeton in the first half of play, a record held previously by Tina Six. Akers surpassed the record  by scoring more than 1,367 points in three years and eight games into this season.  

On Wednesday, the Hurricane Redskins stormed into town in a bid to take Princeton down, but the Tigerettes clawed their way through the first half storm to win by a score  of 58-42.

Princeton got the tip-off to start the game, along with a quick lay-in by Akers and jumper from Khadija Payne. Princeton went on a 6-0 run to the 5:35 mark, when Hurricane’s Brooke Crompton put them on the board. Princeton’s Hannah Preservati was quick to respond with a three-pointer at the 5:06 mark.

Moments later, Akers picked up a second foul that sent her to the bench. The Redskins took advantage of Akers’ foul trouble and went on a 7-0 run, thanks to Abby Watson. Princeton’s Preservati put up another trey at the 1:50 mark followed by a Marissa Mullins lay-up.

The end of the first quarter showed Princeton—14, Hurricane—15. The second quarter was an offensive struggle on both sides of the ball. Princeton called time out a minute in.

Princeton was held scoreless to the 2:50 mark, until Mullins put up a two followed by Ashley Culicerto’s basket and one.

The Tigerettes headed into the locker room down 21-19.

Talk about turn around!

Directly out of the locker room, Princeton tied it all up with an assist by Mullins to Akers with the basket and the foul, to go up by 1. The Tigerettes went on a 13-0 run, thanks largely to the three-point shooting of Akers and Preservati. Mullins got a fast break lay-up at the 3:55 mark prompting a Hurricane time-out. Princeton continued with their shooting barrage to finish out the quarter with a Stepanie Lambert putback. Princeton outscored their opponent 25-7 in the third.

The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth match-up of scoring. Hurricane’s Abby Watson put up a stellar effort to finish out the quarter, but the Tigerettes prevailed, 58-42. Leading the Tigerettes were Akers with 24. Hannah Preservati recorded four three-point conversions and went 2-2 on the line, for a combined 14, and Marissa Mullins added  nine. Khadija Payne scored four, along with Ashley Culicerto’s three. Stephanie Lambert and Rachel Surface rounded it all out with two points each. Princeton will play host to seventh-ranked Spring Valley Friday night. Tip-off  is set for 7:30 p.m.

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