YOUNG GUN: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Freddie Young, left,  jumps around a defender in recent action. Last Sunday, freshman standout Young scored 22 points in a losing cause as PDS fell 76-59 to Friends Central (Pa.) in the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (Pa.) tournament. The Panthers, now 3-4, are next in action when they compete in the Prime Time Shootout at Trenton Catholic Academy from December 27 and 29. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Even though the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team went 0-2 at the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (Pa.) tournament last week, Kerry Foderingham liked what he saw from his players.

“I was very excited and pleased with how we played, especially our last game,” said PDS head coach Foderingham, whose team fell 70-62 to the Solebury School (Pa.) last Friday and then lost 76-59 to Friends Central (Pa.) two days later.

“We played a really good team and I thought we stepped up to the challenge. We were down two starters and we didn’t back down. We really showed a great fight. It was a close game all throughout; they kind of got away a little bit at the end.”

Freshman Freddie Young has emerged as a great scoring threat for the Panthers.

“He doesn’t play like a freshman,” said Foderingham of Young, who scored 22 points in the loss to Friends Central.

“He is very mature and confident in his game, which I think is the most important thing that he brings. His mentality is great, we talk a lot about him being aggressive and having that attack mindset. He is doing a great job of doing that and he can do a little bit of everything on the court.”

Junior star and team captain Diggy Coit has been doing a very good job on a daily basis.

“Diggy is a great leader and he is the engine of our team,” said Foderingham of Coit who is averaging 23 points a game and recently eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in his high school career.

“He is doing a great job at both ends and with overall leadership. We also talk with him about being aggressive, every night and he brings that mentality. He does a great job of pulling that mentality out of the younger guys.”

Foderingham is seeing a good mentality from his supporting cast.

“We have a lot of guys who have stepped up like Jimmy O’Connor and Donavan Davis,” added Foderingham.

“Those guys help us rebounding-wise and they finish plays around the rim. We have some freshmen who are in the mix, like Dameon Samuels. It is a great team effort.”

The Panthers have displayed an intensity every time they have taken the court.

“We are a tough team mentally and physically,” said Foderingham. “One thing I am really excited about is our pace of play and even our practice pace, everything has risen. The guys are locked in. Some days the shots are going to drop and some days they aren’t. Everyday, the energy level has been great.”

With PDS competing in the Prime Time Shootout at Trenton Catholic Academy from December 27 and 29, Foderingham knows his team will be facing some tough foes at the event.

“You have got to play the best to be the best; we want to play good competition, we want to grow each game, and we want to compete,” said Foderingham, whose team opened the event by facing host TCA.

“If you play us, we are are going to fight and that is really it. We play some tough teams and that is what it is all about. The guys are really motivated having those tough games; it gives us high focus.”