HART AND SOUL: Princeton Day School girls’ basketball player Mia Hartman brings the ball up the court last Thursday as PDS hosted Noor-ul-iman in its season opener. Senior guard/forward Hartman scored 11 points as the Panthers prevailed 54-13. PDS plays at Trenton Central on December 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Mia Hartman got her senior season with the Princeton Day School girls’ basketball team off to a great start last Thursday.

With PDS hosting Noor-ul-iman in its season opener, guard/forward Hartman scored eight points and picked up an assist in the first few minutes of the game as the Panthers jumped out to a 10-0 lead.

“That was great; definitely seeing that was a huge lift because we work very hard in practice,” said Hartman. “We practice the same things and we executed very well. It is refreshing — now we have the bodies, now we have the pieces to execute.”

The Panthers stretched that opening run to 25-0 and never looked back on the way to a 54-13 win.

In Hartman’s view, the rout by the Panthers reflected the new vibe around the squad.

“The energy we have this year is very different, we are coming with a lot of heat,” said Hartman, who ended up with 11 points in the victory. “This year is different with the intensity and the new faces on the team. We are athletic. Our practices are very intense. Coach Hamilton really drills us to be the best players that we can be because we have the bodies this year.”

As a four-year starter and senior leader, Hartman is looking to help her teammates do their best.

“I want to make sure that everyone else gets involved,” said Hartman. “I want to make sure that I am not the only one who puts up shots. It is more of a team effort than a me effort.”

Against Noor-ul-iman, Hartman got her younger sister, sophomore Juliana, involved right away as she passed to her for the first bucket of the contest.

“It was very exciting, I think it was the luck of the matching shoes,” said a smiling Hartman. “I am very excited that she is on the team this year. She is going to bring some good energy.”

Looking ahead, Hartman is excited to be continuing her basketball career at the next level as she has committed to attend Drew University and play for its Division III women’s basketball program.

“Drew came out of the blue. Me and my dad visited one day, and I was like, ‘I really love this school a lot’ and it felt like a home,” said Hartman. “I am going to reach out to the coach, I don’t know what is going to come out of it. All of a sudden, he was, “We would love to have you on the team.’ He knew who I was. He knew my stats from AAU and stuff. This feels like my place. Coach Hamilton has been preparing me with different drills and pushing me in practice. She has been a huge motivator for me. She knows my potential and pushing me to be like that is a huge thing.”

Hamilton, for her part, has been pushing her players to get the most out of their abilities.

“There is definitely a good vibe, I think that their energy is fueled from a desire to be better this season,” said Hamilton. “They want it and they are there for all of the intensity, all of the energy. It is really a positive. They are just really challenging each other.”

In reflecting on the team’s 25-0 start against Noor-ul-iman, Hamilton saw it as positive affirmation for the squad.

“It was great for them to get the reward from all of the hard work they have been doing,” said Hamilton.

“They got the confidence and reassurance that all of the hard work they are doing is actually paying off.”

Sophomore Sophia Rae Barber and junior Nandini Kolli showed a growth in confidence in the win as they scored nine and eight points, respectively.

“They both played AAU over the summer, they have gotten a lot better,” said Hamilton. “They have grown and really put a lot of commitment into their work in the offseason. It has really paid off for them as individuals but for us obviously as a program.”

Hamilton sees Hartman as the heart and soul of the PDS program.

“On the court, Mia has shifted into being much more of a general for us, in taking the ball up more than she usually has just because she helps set our pace and our tempo,” said Hamilton. “I also think that off the court she is just magic. Everybody at this school wants this season to be magic for her. Not just her teammates and the coaching staff, but also our administrators. Her role extends far beyond our program because of the positive impact she has on our community. I think the whole school is behind her in having the season that she feels good about.”

Hamilton feels good about her team’s prospects this winter.

“We have a lot of returners and we have a lot of new players, so a lot of it is just coming together,” said Hamilton, whose team plays at Trenton Central on December 21. “We have all of the pieces that we need — we have the right culture and the right attitude. We have the right energy, we have the right intensity — now it is about meeting each other. It is how can we connect, making sure about things like timing on passes and starting to read or anticipate what your teammate is going to do. That is the next piece for us and communicating more on defense.”

Hartman, for her part, is determined to make a lasting impact on the team’s culture.

“I am looking to have fun,” said Hartman. “I want to make sure that I am putting the team in a place where they feel as though they can accomplish a lot and feel as though they are ready when I leave that we can do this without you.”