(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: WINNING TIME: Princeton Day School girls’ basketball star Sarah Godwin races up the court in a game earlier this season. Last Sunday, sophomore guard Godwin scored 15 points, including a key three-pointer in the last minute, as third-seeded PDS edged No. 6 Stuart Country Day 55-51 in the opening round of the Prep B tournament. The Panthers play at No. 2 Montclair Kimberley on February 20 in the Prep B semis with the winner advancing to the title game on February 24. PDS is also competing in the Mercer County Tournament where the fifth-seeded Panthers were slated to host No. 12 WW/P-S on February 16 in the opening round.

With Sophomore Godwin Coming Up Big, PDS Girls’ Hoops Edges Stuart in Preps

Bill Alden

Clutching her neck and fighting back tears, Sarah Godwin appeared to be done for the day in the third quarter as the Princeton Day School girls’ basketball team battled Stuart Country Day last Sunday in the opening round of the Prep B tournament.

Slumping on the bench, PDS sophomore star guard Godwin held her head in her hands as the trainer worked on her neck.

Minutes later, the pain subsided and Godwin was able to re-enter the fray. “It was a head to the neck; my head went one way and my neck went the other,” recalled Godwin. “I felt a lot of cracks; we put some icy hot on it and it numbed out so it was good.”

In the last minute of the nip-and-tuck battle between the local rivals, Godwin delivered the decisive blow, hitting a three-pointer to give PDS a 52-49 lead as it went on to a 55-51 victory.

In reflecting on her big shot, Godwin wasn’t overly confident as she launched the ball.

“I didn’t get many shots off the whole game and my worst shot is at the top of the key,” said Godwin. “I had to shoot one 3; I had to get one up. I couldn’t believe I made it.”

Earlier in the afternoon, it didn’t look like a late three-pointer was going to make much of a difference for third-seeded PDS as No. 6 Stuart raced out to a 26-20 halftime lead.

Godwin and the Panthers knew they had to change the tempo to have a chance at overcoming Stuart.

“Jessica [PDS head coach Jessica Katz] told us to slow down and relax and that’s what we did,” said Godwin, who ended the game with 15 points.

“We just had to slow down and take our time and not rush things. That’s what we did and we kept our composure.”

With one season under her belt, Godwin is feeling more composed on the court this winter.

“I am more comfortable now that I am a sophomore and not a freshman,” said Godwin. “I feel comfortable with the players; we all have a great bond.”

Godwin also feels a bond with her older brother, Drew, a former PDS hoops star who scored more than a 1,000 points in his high school career and is currently playing for the Penn men’s team.

“I look up to him, I want to be on that banner like him,” said Godwin, referring to the banner in the PDS gym listing the school’s 1,000-point scorers. “He gives me a few pointers.”

PDS head coach Katz appreciated the banner day she got from Godwin.

“Sarah played such a great game; she has been doing such a nice job of moving without the ball and that really showed tonight,” said Katz, whose team improved to 16-4 with the victory and will now play at No. 2 Montclair Kimberley in the Prep B semis on February 20.

“She was looking well, making good passes. She took care of the ball; she had good shot selection. She got herself to the line and she played smart defense. She really stepped up.”

Sophomore point guard Janie Smukler also stepped up in a big way for the Panthers, scoring a team-high 29 points as she repeatedly knifed through the Stuart defense.

“Janie has been playing really, really well,” asserted Katz. “She has been learning when to push it and when to pull it back and she is doing a much better job of that.”

Katz acknowledged that her team needed to change the tempo in the second half in order to overcome the Tartans.

“We were letting them play their game in the first half, we needed to slow it down and play our game,” said Katz.

“When we get the ball into the post, good things happen. It doesn’t always result in scoring but what it does result in is Sarah getting open outside and people cutting in the lane. Everyone did what they had to do, especially towards the end.”

PDS is looking for a big ending to the season as it is playing in the Mercer County Tournament (MCT) in addition to the Prep B competition.

“If everyone plays the way they can play, I think that we will have a good run in these tournaments,” said Katz, whose team was seeded fifth in the MCT and was slated to host No. 12 WW/P-S in the opening round on February 16 with the winner advancing to the quarterfinal round on February 19.

“They have grown up so much; you look back at our first two games this year against Pennington and Blair which were losses. Just to see what they have done since then and how they have grown up is really nice.”

Godwin, for her part, is confident that the Panthers can produce a nice finish. “We work so hard in practice,” said Godwin. “Having such a good season has given us a lot of encouragement and a lot of confidence. We are taking that on to win a championship.”

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