Box Score PRINCETON, N.J. – Princeton downed Saint Peter's 75-72 in non-conference men's basketball action on Saturday.
Cameron Jones (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) powered the Peacocks (1-3) with a career-high 21 points. Antwon Portley (Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster) added 20 points while Quadir Welton (Philadelphia, Pa./Math, Civics and Science Charter) posted 14 points and seven rebounds in the loss.
Henry Caruso powered the Tigers (2-0) with 23 points and Amir Bell chipped in 11 points in the winning effort.
Princeton took the lead from the opening tip, but could never gain more than a nine-point lead. The Tigers maintained the advantage throughout the night and held off several Saint Peter's runs to earn the victory.
The first half was a closely contested stanza. The Tigers biggest lead came when Princeton scored six unanswered points after Portley drained a trey with 13:09 left in the half. Jackson Forbes answered with a triple at 12:20 and Pete Miller scored in the lane at 11:48 and Steven Cook hit 1 of 2 at the line for a 23-15 advantage.
The Peacocks responded with four-straight points to trim the margin to 23-21 with 7:05 left. Welton hit the back end of two free throws and Jones drained a 3-ball at 7:05. The Tigers restored a five-point edge, but went into the locker room with a 34-31 lead.
The second half remained close until Princeton rolled off six-straight point to extend a three-point lead to nine points at 56-47. After Jones trimmed the margin to 50-47 on a 3-pointer at 12:18, the Tigers scored six unanswered points on an Bell free throw, a Devin Cannady free throw and a 3-pointer by Bell.
The Jersey City team steadily made a comeback to trim the margin down to two points. With Princeton holding a 67-61 lead, the Peacocks went on a 6-2 spurt to make a two-point game. Jones started the run with a triple at 2:14 before Miller scored in the lane. Jones then connected on his fifth 3-pointer of the night to trim the margin to 69-67.
Bell then made the frontend of two charity tosses with 42 seconds left and then Myles Stephens converted a free throw with 26 seconds left to give the Tigers a 71-67 advantage. Chazz Patterson (Brown Mills, N.J./Trenton Catholic) scored in the lane with 14 ticks left to make it a two-point game. Caruso then made 1 of 2 at the line one second later and Portley scored in the lane with seven seconds left to trim the margin to 73-71. Steven Weisz and Caruso each hit a free throw and Trevis Wyche (Neptune, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) made 1 of 2 at the charity stripe in the final seven seconds to set the final score with Princeton coming away with a 75-72 win to mark the third-straight game the Peacocks have lost by three-points or less.
Elisha Boone (Laurelton, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) finished the game with a career-high 10 rebounds. Wyche registered six assists and four points while Rodney Hawkins (Baltimore, Md./Lake Clifton) tallied six points and four rebounds.
The game was played at Dillon Gym, marking the first game in the venue since Jan. 11, 1969. The game also served as a Coaches Vs. Cancer contest to raise awareness and funds for the fight against cancer through the American Cancer Society.
Saint Peter's returns to action when it continues its three-game Garden State road trip at Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 28. Tip off is set for 2 p.m.
