DRIVE TIME: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Mason McQueen drives to the hoop in recent action. Last Wednesday, senior guard McQueen scored a team-high 10 points as a short-handed PDS squad fell 59-30 to Hillsborough. The Panthers, who lost 71-60 to Doane Academy in the Prep B state semis on Friday and then lost 59-27 to Trenton Central in the Mercer County Tournament quarterfinals a day later to move to 8-14, are next in action when they compete in New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public B South Jersey sectional where they are seeded 11th and will play at sixth-seeded Gloucester Catholic in a first round contest on February 22. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Mason McQueen knew he was going to draw a lot of attention as the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team hosted Hillsborough last Wednesday.

With backcourt stars and leading scorers Jaden Hall and Jaden Dublin sidelined by injury for the contest, senior guard McQueen took control of the PDS offense.

“It was different because they are two big parts of our offense and without them, they are able to focus on me and Bram [Silva] more,” said McQueen. “They are able to put the focal points on us.”

Missing Hall and Dublin, the Panthers struggled as they fell behind 32-15 by halftime.

McQueen scored five points in the early moments of the third quarter as PDS tried to rally against the Raiders.

“I don’t like losing and the team doesn’t like losing,” said McQueen. “We had to step up.”

While PDS ended up losing 59-30, McQueen has been saving his best for last in the final weeks of his high school career.

“I am just getting into my groove and the team is flowing together better and we have the chemistry that we need,” said McQueen, who tallied a team-high 10 points in the setback. “There is an urgency. I want to play college basketball, I might try to walk on wherever I go.”

Over the years, McQueen has gotten better and better.

“I feel like I was always a well-rounded defensive player,” said McQueen. “I play guard most of the time and I am able to get my teammates open. My best shots come off of defense and I can catch and shoot. Those two complement my game a lot. There has been lot of growth with the different teammates I have had.”

PDS head coach Eugene Burroughs credited McQueen with stepping up against Hillsborough.

“He was great, taking that next role of being a primary ball handler. It was great for him as a player to grow into those areas,” said Burroughs. “With the other Jadens on the floor, he doesn’t have the ball in his hands as much, but at times he does. He was trying to orchestrate our offense tonight. We moved him off the ball a little bit to give him a rest. Sometimes when you are on the ball, it is a different conditioning level to be on the ball, to play defense, and to run the offense.”

McQueen has taken his game to a higher level in his final season with the Panthers.

“It shows the hard work he put in this summer to improve offensively as a basketball player, and I think you see it in his production where he has made threes and has some good scoring games,” said Burroughs. “He had 17 points against Peddie. He is making plays off the dribble. It is a testament to him just working hard.”

The PDS players worked hard collectively as they battled a high-powered Hillsborough team.

“I think our kids did a good job just trying to fight and scrap in that game,” said Burroughs, whose team lost 71-60 to Doane Academy in the Prep B state semis on Friday and then lost 59-27 to Trenton Central in the Mercer County Tournament quarterfinals a day later to move to 8-14.

“I think for us it is still always about the effort and can we compete.”

With the Panthers competing in New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public B South Jersey sectional where they are seeded 11th and will play at sixth-seeded Gloucester Catholic in a first round contest on February 22, Burroughs is confident his squad will keep scrapping.

“I sent our guys an email today, saying ‘next man up,’” said Burroughs. “We have got to dig deep and we have to fight through it, that is what sports is. We have to play the game and compete.”

McQueen, for his part, was proud of the way PDS stayed unified as it dug deep against Hillsborough.

“I am glad we stayed together as a team, there was no fighting,” said McQueen. “We all stayed together.”