Princeton junior Chandler Evans scored 15 points in Princeton’s 39-37 come-from-behind win over Plano East on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Photo by Jerry Winfrey / C&S Media
By Mark Saldana
The Princeton Lady Panthers secured a hard-fought 39-37 victory over the visiting Plano East Lady Panthers on Tuesday night in a thrilling 6A Region I District 6 matchup.
With the win, Princeton, which improved to 19-8 overall and 7-2 in district, continues to build momentum as the Panthers prepare for their next game at Rock Hill on Friday night, weather permitting.
The Blue Hawks, coming off a 55-26 loss to Allen, hold a 15-10 record and will host Princeton in another key district showdown.
Princeton head coach Carla Denning praised her team’s defensive effort in the closely contested game.
“We knew Plano East would be tough, but our girls stayed focused and made the plays we needed when it mattered most,” she said. “I’m incredibly proud of our effort.”
Plano East had the momentum after building a 22-13 halftime lead. Freshman Arianna Robinson led all scorers with 18 points. Sophomore Kennedy Borders netted 14 points in the loss.
Princeton buckled down and outscored Plano East 26-15 in the second half to rally for the one-point win.
Junior Chandler Evans and senior Terrayah McCoy scored 15 points apiece to pace Princeton.
Plano East, now 17-7 in the season, will look to bounce back Friday when they host the Plano West Lady Wolves.
Plano West enters with a 10-18 record after falling 50-29 to McKinney Boyd in their most recent district game.
Plano East overpowers Princeton boys
The Plano East Panthers delivered a dominating performance Tuesday night in Princeton, defeating the Princeton Panthers 74-44 in a 6A Region I District 6 showdown.
Senior standout and Texas State signee DJ Hall led Plano East with a dazzling offensive display, scoring 34 points to propel his team to victory.
Plano East head coach Matt Wester praised Hall’s leadership and the team’s overall execution.
“DJ was phenomenal tonight, but this was a total team effort,” he said. “Everyone contributed, and that’s what made us successful. I feel like we’re hitting our stride at the right time.”
With the win, Plano East improves to 17-4 overall and 5-2 in district play, positioning themselves as a strong contender for postseason action.
Princeton, now 7-15 overall and 0-7 in district, struggled to keep up with Plano East’s fast-paced offense and suffocating defense. Despite the loss, Julius Johnson led with 17 points.
Princeton head coach Eric Lockman remained optimistic about his team’s growth.
“It’s definitely a tough loss, especially on our home court, but I think our effort was really good overall, DJ is just a phenomenal player, and it was hard to keep him down,” coach Lockman said. “Moving forward, I think we just need to focus on learning something out of a loss and adjust certain things to remain competitive for the rest of the season.”
Both teams will return to district action on Friday with Plano East hosting Plano West, while Princeton faces the Prosper Rock Hill Blue Hawks.
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