FILLING A NEW ROLE: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Alex Filion, right, tries to thwart Princeton Day School’s John McArthur in recent action. Last Friday, senior forward Filion chipped in six points in a losing cause as PHS was edged 52-50 by Hightstown. This winter, Filion is starting at forward after riding the bench in the 2015-16 campaign. The Little Tigers, who moved to 7-7 with the defeat to Hightstown, play at Trenton High on February 3 and at Notre Dame on February 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Alex Filion was a member of the supporting cast for the Princeton High boys’ basketball team last winter, getting called up to varsity but never seeing any game action.

This season, senior forward Filion has assumed a leading role, breaking into the starting lineup for the Little Tigers.

“It is definitely really interesting because last year I got to see how all the players worked,” said Filion.

“Changing from being a bench player and not playing any minutes and going to a starter was definitely a big transition for me.”

Last week against visiting Trenton, Filion displayed what he has learned, scoring six points and grabbing six rebounds in a losing cause as PHS fell 70-49 to the Tornadoes.

“My game was alright,” said Filion. “The beginning wasn’t so great; towards the end I started to rebound the ball a lot more and I thought that helped my team out a lot more. I was looking for my shot, it started to fall a bit towards the end of the game; I was working hard to get that ball in the basket.”

Filion and the Little Tigers faced a hard challenge in dealing with an up-tempo Trenton squad that is adept at pushing the pace. The game was tied at 10-10 after the first quarter but the
Tornadoes seized momentum by outscoring PHS 21-13 over the next eight minutes to take a 31-23 lead at halftime.

“At first, we started out pretty well but then as the game progressed we lost track of what we were doing,” said Filion.

“We were trying to move the ball too fast; it is a way faster team than us and we couldn’t keep up with the pace that they were going at.”

In the early stages of the second half, PHS succeeded in slowing things down but the game got away from the Little Tigers down the stretch.

“The third quarter did calm down a bit; it came back to the point where we were down four or six,” said Filion.

“We were working hard at that point, we were moving the ball. We were playing at the pace that we wanted to but then it fell apart at the end because we started rushing.”

As Filion has gained experience this winter, he is picking up his pace on the floor.

“Rebounding is a focus; I am working harder knowing that I have got to sprint up and down the court,” said Filion.

PHS head coach Pat Noone likes the way Filion has stepped up in his starting role.

“Alex has become successful from where we have started,” said Noone.

“He has really bought into what we are doing and he is doing a great job. He is rebounding and scoring; his development has been great.”

After a promising start against Trenton, things didn’t go great for the Little Tigers.

“We did execute our game plan to slow it down, play a lot of zone and trying not to turn over the ball,” said Noone.

“It looked like we got a little winded there and we got away from the game plan. It got to be more helter skelter and we were really trying to reel that in.”

PHS reeled things in during the third quarter as they were outscored 16-12 but the Tornadoes pulled away in the waning moments of the contest.

“We came right back out and we stuck to the game plan and we were OK but when you play a team like that, they wear you down,” said Noone.

“You have to be ready for 32 minutes of we are coming at you and you have to stick to the game plan, relax and not panic.”

As usual, senior star Zahrion Blue provided relentless play for the Little Tigers, scoring a game-high 23 points in the loss.

“There is nothing more that can be said about him and how well he is playing,” said Noone, who got 28 points from Blue in a 52-50 loss to Hightstown last Friday as PHS moved to 7-7.

“We have a great relationship, Z trusts me and for as good as he is for us, 30 points a game some nights, he is just so coachable. It is to the point where you just don’t think it is true.”

Noone is working hard on coaching his team through the dog days of the season.

“In the beginning you are all excited and everybody has that energy but you get to a point right now and you are in such a grind,” said Noone, whose team plays at Trenton High on February 3 and at Notre Dame on February 6.

“Before you know it, you are in the county tournament. It comes up so quick. That has been the message, you have to be mentally tough to get through this grind part of the season.”

Filion, for his part, has received that message. “For the rest of the season, it is just to keep on working hard and get better,” said Filion. “We just have to be mentally tough and prepared.”