Princeton’s Julius Johnson (0) scored 18 points in Friday’s 82-58 home win over Frisco Wakeland. Photo by Jerry Winfrey / C&S Media

By David Wolman

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Princeton head boys basketball coach Eric Lockman said he is fortunate to have at least seven or eight players he can rely on to apply relentless on-ball pressure.

If the third quarter of last Friday’s nondistrict home game against Frisco Wakeland is a sign of good things to come, Princeton could boast one of the best defenses in the area by the time District 6-6A play rolls around.

Princeton forced Wakeland into seven of its 21 turnovers during that eight-minute span, fueling numerous transition chances for the Panthers, who used an 18-7 run to turn a 10-point halftime lead into an eventual 82-58 victory.

“We have to pride ourselves on the defensive end just because we don’t have a balanced team offensively,” Lockman said. “So, if we can get out in transition, we are super dangerous.”

That success came after a rough stretch defensively for Princeton in the first quarter, one in which the Panthers surrendered several offensive rebounds to the Wolverines. Wakeland capitalized on those second-chance opportunities, making four 3-pointers during the first 5:18 of the ballgame.

Wakeland’s fourth 3 gave the Wolverines a 14-6 lead, prompting Lockman to call a timeout.

“All four games, we’ve given up wide-open 3s to shooters,” Lockman said. “I told them during the timeout, ‘You guys have to make a choice right now, whether or not you’re going to start defending the 3.’ I thought they did a great job of responding after that. And Houston (Newberry) came in and gave us a big spark with his rebounding and finishing shots.”

Newberry, a move-in from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has been a welcome addition to the team, especially with Princeton senior Jordan Mosley not expected to return to the lineup until at least the Christmas break because of an injury he suffered in football.

Mosley has been the “effort guy” for the Panthers because of his knack for battling in the paint and contesting for rebounds and loose balls.

Newberry filled Mosley’s role well last Friday. He scored 12 points, several coming on putbacks. Newberry’s sixth and final field goal gave Princeton a 26-point lead with less than three minutes left.

Another positive for Princeton was its 3-point shooting. In a season in which the Panthers have struggled from the perimeter, they were on target from behind the arc against the Wolverines. Princeton’s top two shooters, Julius Johnson and Jayce Lester, combined for seven of the team’s eight 3s on the night.

Johnson buried a 3 from the left side of the court in the final seconds of the first quarter for an 18-14 Princeton lead. 

It was all Princeton from there as the Panthers (2-2) outscored Wakeland 64-44 over the game’s final three quarters.

Johnson finished with 18 points, followed by nine from Lester and eight from Aveion Dixon.

Princeton also finished well near the basket.

All night long, Princeton players and fans in attendance had been waiting for a thunderous dunk by Oluwafisayomi Falowo. With 3:07 left, Falowo brought his teammates and fans to their feet after he finished a one-handed dunk with his right hand. The play came following a defensive steal by the Panthers.

“I’ve been telling people all year since the beginning of August that we’ll be entertaining to watch,” Lockman said. “We have a couple of people who play above the rim and dunk on people in practice. We’re super blessed to have ‘Big O.’”