SOARING TO VICTORY: Peter Sorber of Princeton Supply (blue shirt) soars to the hoop Monday night in the opener of the best-of-three championship series in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Sorber contributed seven points, eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocked shots to help top-seeded Princeton Supply edge third-seeded Lob City 41-39. Princeton Supply, now 11-0, will go for its second straight league title as it faces Lob City (7-4) in game two on July 31 with the third game, if necessary, slated for August 2. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Cruising to an undefeated record as it goes for a title repeat, Princeton Supply found itself in a battle with Lob City last Monday in the opener of the best-of-three championship series in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League.

With its offense sputtering, top-seeded Princeton Supply trailed third-seeded Lob City early in the second half at the Community Park courts.

“We weren’t really hitting threes and when we drove, we just drove into traffic,” said Princeton Supply head coach Phil Vigliano, reflecting on the back-and-forth contest.

But showing its championship pedigree, Princeton Supply came up big down the stretch as it pulled out a 41-39 win, improving to 11-0 with Lob City dropping to 7-4.

“It was the experience, big plays, the moxie, realizing we could lose this game,” said Vigliano, noting that Quayson Williams, Michael Kane, and Troy Jones each hit big three-pointers down the stretch. “With the sense of urgency in the championship series, the team that I have with our athletes, all we have to do is to make one or two plays and it is like bang, bang. It can just trigger a big run for us.”

Vigliano credited Julian McGowan with helping to trigger Princeton Supply.

“I would give him the game ball,” said Vigliano of McGowan, who contributed seven points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the win. “He made numerous plays in both halves and then he finished the game. Normally, he is not a starter.”

In addition to McGowan’s all-around performance, Princeton Supply got 10 points from Williams with Kane adding nine points and Peter Sorber chipping in seven points, eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocked shots. Bruce Brittingham scored 14 points to lead Lob City with Myles Mitchell-White adding 11.

With the foes meeting in game two on July 31, Vigliano believes his squad will be primed to produce a big game as it goes for a second straight championship.

“It was 41-39 for a team that scores a lot of points, I think that tells you what kind of game it was,” said Vigliano, whose team swept LoyalTees 2-0 in the 2023 championship series to earn its first league title. “We don’t usually have a game like that and if we do, I feel sorry for the other team in the next game.”