After a week away from competition for the Thanks­giving break, the Princeton boys basketball team returned to action for another week of pre-district competition. Enter­ing the week with a 1-2 overall record, the Panthers finished with a win and a loss in their two games, keeping them at just under .500 for the season.

One of the biggest chal­lenges Princeton faces at this early part of the season is play­ing with inexperienced var­sity players. With several key athletes still playing football, including junior Isaiah Sadler and junior Paul Popoola, many younger players have had to step up for the Panthers in this early stretch.

Princeton coach Eric Lock­man said he’s seen a lot of progress from the younger players who have played so far this season.

“We have half of our team in football due to their season being pushed back,” Lockman said. “I’m playing with a lot of players who don’t have var­sity experience, and I’m really pleased with the way that those guys have performed, not only throughout the season but also this week.”

The Panthers opened their week Tuesday, Dec. 1, travel­ing to Aubrey to face a good Chaparrals team. Heading into the matchup with a 2-2 over­all, Aubrey was able to defeat Princeton 52-51.

For the full story, see the Dec. 10 issue or subscribe online.

By Jackson King • [email protected]