(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: MEAN STREAK: Princeton Day School senior forward Anthony Farina drives to the hoop in recent action. Last Friday, Farina and his teammates broke a nine-game losing streak as they topped Wardlaw-Hartridge 65-29. PDS, now 2-9, plays at Hamilton on January 14, hosts Rutgers Prep on January 16, and then plays at Montgomery on January 17.

PDS Boys’ Hoops Snaps Losing Streak, Needs Sharper Focus to Get On a Roll

Bill Alden

Last winter, the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team turned heads as it reeled off nine straight wins to start the season.

This season, the PDS players have spent a lot of time hanging their heads as they got out of the gate with a 1-9 mark.

This past Friday, the Panthers took out some of their frustration over their rough start by routing Wardlaw-Hartridge 65-29 to get in the victory column for the first time since an opening day win over George School on December 9.

While PDS head coach Paris McLean acknowledged that Wardlaw-Hartridge was overmatched, he thought it was important for his team to take care of business. “It was a game we should win,” said McLean, who got 18 points from Kenny Holzhammer with Joe Rogers scoring 10 as the team broke its nine-game losing streak.

“The good thing is that we got a lot of people in, it was the first time all season that we had all 12 players.”

In explaining his team’s slow start, McLean said his players have taken a while to get their heads into the game.

“We are still having problems getting started in the first and third quarters,” said McLean. “We need to work on that; we need to have focus all 32 minutes.”

In McLean’s view, his team’s 64-62 loss to Timothy Christian on January 5 in its first game of 2009 helped instill that principle.

“The loss to Timothy Christian was an eye-opener,” said McLean, noting that his team was just 16-of-46 in the paint in the loss. “It showed the boys we can get this done if we keep our focus.”

McLean, however, is pleased with focus he is getting from senior star Joe Rogers.

“It is not the same old Joe; he is giving us a different type of leadership,” said McLean.

“He is more mature; he wants to win. He knew he wasn’t going to play a lot against Wardlaw and he was alright with that. He said let’s get some other guys in. He is reaping the benefits of his work, there are several Division III schools looking at him for next year.”

PDS will need junior guard Kenny Holzhammer to show more maturity if it is to get on the winning track.

“He’s back on board,” said McLean, noting that Holzhammer’s lack of intensity landed him in the doghouse earlier in the season. “He knows how important he is to the team.”

It will be important for PDS to make the most out of practice sessions if it is to have a reversal of fortune this season.

“We need solid practices everyday; it all stems from that,” said McLean.

“The practices need to be crisp, clean with everybody getting something done.”

McLean still believes that PDS can do some special things this winter. “Come February, I think you will be seeing some good things from PDS,” asserted McLean, whose team plays at Hamilton on January 14, hosts Rutgers Prep on January 16, and then plays at Montgomery on January 17.

“Talent-wise, we can hang with anyone; it’s a matter of focusing all 32 minutes. We can’t take a play off. We are playing eight or nine guys. Everyone who gets in, whether it is a two-three minute guy or a 32-minute guy, has to give his all. We need all hands on deck.”

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