JOHN BE GOOD: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player John McArthur makes a pass last Wednesday in the state Prep B final. Junior forward McArthur scored 18 points to help top-seeded PDS edge third-seeded Morristown-Beard 66-62 in overtime to earn the title. It was the first state crown for the program since PDS won the Prep A title in 1999. The Panthers fell short of a second title shot as fifth-seeded PDS lost 82-77 to fourth-seeded Hightstown in the Mercer County Tournament quarterfinals last Saturday. The loss left PDS with a final record of 16-8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

John McArthur came to Princeton Day School this year, hoping for a shot to shine on the basketball court.

“At Robbinsville, they didn’t actually play me at all,” said junior forward McArthur.

“It was a chance to play and I had to prove myself and I feel like now I finally got my opportunity.”

Last Wednesday, McArthur proved that he could spark a team to a title, scoring 18 points as top-seeded PDS edged third-seeded Morristown-Beard 66-62 in overtime in the state Prep B final.

For McArthur, winning the crown, the program’s first state championship since it won the Prep A title in 1999, was sweet.

“It is just a really great feeling,” said a beaming McArthur. “I am happy we won and I am happy that I was able to help bring my team to the championship.”

PDS was feeling the heat as a gritty Mo-Beard team went on a 10-3 run over the last 4:40 of regulation to force overtime.

“It was a good fight, they definitely had a lot of energy but we just outworked them and we definitely deserved it,” said McArthur. “It was our defense, defense always wins games.”

Emerging as the team’s main interior presence at both ends of the court, McArthur played a key role in the PDS defense.

“It has been fun, I am not used to this position so it has been fun trying to get used to it,” said McArthur. “I am always just looking forward to crashing in the paint.”

McArthur has had fun bonding with his new teammates this season. “I would say the chemistry, we are friends on and off the court,” said McArthur.

“We always try to make each other better in practice; we just work really well on the court.”

PDS head coach Tim Williams liked the way his players worked together to earn the title.

“Our guys showed a lot of grit; in the last two or three weeks of the season we have really emphasized individual sacrifice for the team,” said Williams.

“What are you going to do; it could be really big, it could be really small but you have to sacrifice for the team. I think the guys really did that. It was a total team victory. We couldn’t have done it without the defense we played. We couldn’t have done it without the passes and the shots that we made and the free throws.”

Clinging to a 32-28 lead at halftime, PDS made some adjustments and outscored the Crimson 16-9 in the third quarter to seize the momentum.

“We felt like we had good energy; we felt like they counterattacked our press a little too well in the first half,” said Williams.

“We talked about getting back on defense and changing our look. They are a really well coached team. They didn’t give us any quarter, to their credit. We went from our full court man to a 1-3-1.”

On the offensive end. McArthur’s heady play in the paint helped trigger things.

“I thought John did a nice job; I thought he drew people and got us some nice drives,” said Williams, who got 15 points from junior star Chase Lewis with freshman David Coit chipping in seven and junior Mark Washington adding six.

“Chase had some nice drives, I thought David Coit had some good drives. I thought Mark hit some big shots.”

Junior co-captain Paul Franzoni produced a career game, pouring in 16 points to give the Panthers a huge lift.

“What a great time for Paul to step up like that,” asserted Williams of Franzoni, who hadn’t scored more than seven points in any game this season prior to Wednesday.

“He always does all the things that don’t show up in the stat sheet but today he did a lot of things that showed up in the stat sheet. He made big free throws, he made big 3s. He was really pivotal, he was really great.”

For Williams, the PDS Director of Athletics who is in his first year guiding the hoops program, winning the Prep title was the culmination of a gradual process this winter.

“We had some modest goals at the beginning of the season; we thought about a state championship but I think it was way out there,” said Williams, whose team fell short of a second title shot as fifth-seeded PDS lost 82-77 to fourth-seeded Hightstown in the Mercer County Tournament quarterfinals last Saturday and ended the winter with a 16-8 record.

“The guys really started to solidify and think about what they were doing and how well they were doing it and I thought this could be a reality for us and we were working for it. I think the buy-in, the fact that everyone has subjugated themselves to some extent for the team with a bunch of new guys and a bunch of returning guys but who were young. I couldn’t be more happy. I have had so much fun coaching these guys. It has been wonderful.”

McArthur, for his part, sensed that something wonderful could happen for PDS as it headed into the home stretch of the campaign.

“I didn’t know if we were going to be a championship team but after we got off to a good start this season, I knew we were going to make it far,” recalled McArthur.

“I think we just gradually worked our way up and as the season went on, we have just played better and better. We just started to blow teams out and we knew it was going to happen this season.”