STEPPING FORWARD: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Matt Hart dribbles into the lane in a game this winter. Junior star forward Hart averaged more than 20 points a game this season and was named as a first-team All-CVC performer. Hart’s heroics helped PHS post a final record of 10-12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

There were plenty of question marks surrounding the Princeton High boys’ basketball team as it headed into the 2014-15 season.

“Back in November, we only had three returning varsity players and it looked like having a .500 record would be tough,” said PHS head coach Mark Shelley.

After going through a tough stretch that saw the Little Tigers lose six straight games to fall to 4-10, Shelley found some answers down the stretch. PHS reeled off a six-game winning streak in improving to 10-10 before ending the season with a 66-52 loss to Trenton in the first round of the Mercer County Tournament and a 59-57 defeat at Nottingham in an MCT consolation contest.

“I am proud of the way they bounced back; it would have been easy to mail it in,” said Shelley, reflecting on the 10-12 season.

“We won six in a row, I was real, real proud of them. I feel that was what we were capable of. We had some really big wins. We beat Trenton and Notre Dame in one week. I think that trickled down to the younger guys and they saw the standard we expected.”

The Little Tigers lost Matt Hart down the stretch to a calf injury but still showed plenty of heart in topping WW/P-S 45-42 and Robbinsville 60-55 without their junior star.

“Matt didn’t play the last four games,” said Shelley of Hart, who averaged more than 20 points a game this year. “I was really proud that we kept our winning streak going. We beat South and Robbinsville but it did hurt us against Trenton and Nottingham. We weren’t fundamentally sound against Nottingham. They had one sequence where they had three one-and-ones and got every offensive rebound. It was the fundamental things.”

The team’s group of seniors had plenty of fun as they went through their final campaign.

“They brought passion, they love to play the game,” said Shelley of the team’s Class of 2015 which includes Kevin Kane, J.C. Silva, John Morelli, Chris Diver, and the Moore twins, Tad and Tommy.

“If I had stayed two hours after practice, they would have stayed too. They are gym rats. I encourage kids to play multiple sports but most of them just play basketball. They get a joy from playing.”

High-scoring guard Kane (more than 15 points a game) produced a superb final campaign with the program.

“Kevin had a nice career; we knew he was a good scorer from the time he was a sophomore,” said Shelley.

“His challenge was to pick up his rebounding and defense and I think he did that. He showed leadership and accepted criticism, that’s what you need from your seniors. Even when his shot wasn’t going, he was doing other things for us.”

Point guard Silva (more than 5 points a game) also did a lot of good things for the Little Tigers this winter.

“J.C. was the most improved player last year and is in the running for it this year,” said Shelley.

“He got stronger; he and Kevin did a lot of work in the weightroom. The day after the season, they took the sophomores and juniors into the weightroom to show them their regime. J.C.’s shot got better, he got better going to his left. He was able to manage the game. He was tough and controlled. He made himself into that kind of player. He knew when to speed it up and slow things down.”

The Moore twins, Tad (5 points and 6 rebounds a game) and Tommy (nearly 3 points and more than 3 rebounds a game), who also starred this fall for the 8-2 PHS football team, formed a tough tandem in the paint.

“The Moore twins were a package deal; their energy inside was obvious,” said Shelley.

“Playing football helps, they were willing to be physical. That was important because we were smaller than every team we played. They were much more able to play structured basketball. We run a motion offense and you need discipline in a zone defense. They were dedicated to improving and when they played together, they had a special chemistry on the court, that intangible twin thing. They contributed significantly to some of our big wins down the stretch.”

Back-up guards Morelli and Diver also made valuable contributions. “Morelli didn’t play much but he was the first one up on the bench cheering,” said Shelley. “He was an integral part of the team and so was Chris Diver.”

The return of Hart and Blue (10 points and three rebounds a game) gives PHS two integral pieces to build around next season.

“We have two real scorers in Matt and Zahrion, they both took a larger step this year and they are talking about summer camps and AAU,” said Shelley, noting that forward Hart was a first-team All-CVC choice, the first PHS player to get that honor in years. “They have the work ethic to take another step.”

Shelley likes the work he got this winter from his other returners Michael Dowers, Theodore Tel, Harry Dyevich,  Andrew Goldsmith, and Sam Serxner.

“Dowers, Tel, and Dyevich are solid juniors,” added Shelley. “From the sophomore class, Goldsmith and Serxner played on varsity. That class had a great freshman season last year. It is a really strong overall group. There are no superstars but a lot of good, solid players and good kids. We should be deep next year with 9-10-11 guys that play a good amount. We need to have three double figures scorers to be successful.”