By Cole Swafford | CSwaff Media
Photography by Cole Swafford | CSwaff Shots
LIMA, OH — Princeton closed out the regular season Friday night with a hard-fought 65-61 victory over Lima Senior, overcoming a slow start and holding off a late push from the Spartans.
The Vikings trailed 14-13 after the opening quarter, but responded in the second quarter to take a 25-24 lead into halftime. Princeton continued to build on that advantage coming out of the break, outscoring Lima Senior 20-15 in the third quarter to take a 45-39 lead into the final eight minutes.
Lima Senior made things interesting in the fourth.
The Spartans scored 22 points in the final quarter and continued to pressure Princeton, but the Vikings managed to answer each time and ultimately secured the four-point road victory.
Amire Gill was the difference-maker for Princeton, scoring 19 points, with all 19 coming in the second half. His offensive production helped the Vikings take control after a relatively quiet opening half.
Princeton also received contributions from its backcourt throughout the night as the Vikings continued to find ways to score against a Lima Senior defense that had allowed just 51.33 points per game entering the matchup.
The Vikings finished the night with 65 points, shooting their way out of a 14-13 deficit and holding Lima Senior to 61 overall. Princeton’s 20-point third quarter proved to be the pivotal stretch of the game.
Lima Senior was led by Noah Simpson, who finished with 23 points. Willie Foster added 13 points for the Spartans, while Lima Senior’s offense continued to battle despite falling behind by six entering the fourth.
The loss dropped Lima Senior to 18-4 on the season, while Princeton improved to 19-3 with the victory.
The Vikings entered the matchup averaging 62.6 points per game while allowing 46.1, and Friday’s win marked another strong defensive performance against a Lima Senior team that averaged nearly 80 points per game entering the contest.
The final quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle, but Princeton’s lead built during the middle quarters proved to be enough. The Vikings held on for a 65-61 win to finish the regular season on a high note.
Now, with the regular season officially complete, Princeton will turn its attention toward the postseason with a 19-3 record.
Lima Senior, meanwhile, heads into the postseason at 18-4 after a competitive finish to a regular-season matchup between two of Ohio’s top programs.
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