WEBB SEARCH: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Isaac Webb dribbles the ball in a game last year. PHS is looking for junior guard Webb to provide production and athleticism from the perimeter this winter. The Little Tigers get their 2017-18 campaign underway when they host Lawrence High on December 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Zahrion Blue was a one-man show last winter for the Princeton High boys’ basketball team, averaging 22.3 points a game in his senior campaign.

As PHS head coach Pat Noone looks ahead to the upcoming season, which tips off when the Little Tiger host Lawrence on December 15, he will be employing a share-the-wealth approach.

“It is a well balanced attack. We are going to get six here and eight from him; it will be guys with six, eight, and 10 points,” said Noone, who guided the Little Tigers to a 12-14 record last winter in his first season at the helm of the program.

“It will be completely different from what we had last year. The scouting report can’t be take out Blue; you are going to have to watch certain shooters.”

PHS features good shooters in the backcourt in senior Tommy Doran, junior Brendan Rougas, senior Sam Tarter, sophomore Riley McMahon, and junior Isaac Webb.

“Tommy has a great outside shot, he shoots it pretty well,” said Noone.

“Brendan Rougas who is coming up for us. Sam Tarter is playing well. Riley McMahon is another young guy that we have coming up. Isaac Webb is back and is very athletic.”

Junior Jaylen Johnson brings athleticism and size to the paint for the Little Tigers.

“Jaylen is a center; he is big and he is playing back to the basket,” said Noone.

“He brings good defense in the paint and is a great rebounder. He is pretty good around the basket and has a soft touch. We have been working with him in practice and he is doing well.”

Noone is looking for junior Evan Filion and sophomore Jay Jackson to help Johnson in the post.

“Evan Filion is a great athlete, a great lacrosse player, and is bringing a lot to us,” said Noone.

“Jay Jackson is a big body and very athletic. He works his tail off so that has been pretty good for us right now.”

The Little Tigers are putting in some inspired work on a daily basis. “The guys are really coming in with high energy; they are enjoying it, they are soaking up everything that we have to teach them,” said Noone.

“They are a young bunch. They love being out there, it has been a real pleasure to coach them. It is a good competition between all of the young guys, they know it is a really wide open battle for playing time.”

In Noone’s view, battling hard on defense is a major key to his squad’s success this winter.

“The big thing we are really focused on is defense, we don’t want to give up any transition offense,” said Noone.

“We want get back and set up our man-to-man defense and grind you out. We want to be like Rutgers against Michigan State the other night (a 62-52 loss for the Scarlet Knights against the No. 2 Spartans on December 5); they took away the transition offense and made them score in the half court.”