Princeton sophomore Bryan Omwenga (13) dribbles the ball up the court at Plano West on Dec. 23. Photo by Oladipo Awowale / C&S Media
By Seth Dowdle
PLANO — With the holiday break in sight, the Princeton Panthers boys basketball team was in search of one more win to quench its holiday spirit. Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Plano West Wolves played the role of the Grinch, beating Princeton 65-47 on Tuesday, Dec. 23.
The Wolves jumped out early, roaring to a 16-6 first-quarter advantage and never looking back. Plano West continued to apply pressure in the second quarter and took a 31-15 lead into halftime.
Princeton showed signs of life coming out of the break. The Panthers put together a strong third quarter, outscoring Plano West 19-16 behind some formidable resistance fueled by Marcus Flowers and Julius Johnson. That run cut into the deficit and made the score 47-34 heading into the fourth quarter, but it ultimately proved to be too little, too late.
Flowers led Princeton with 12 points, while Johnson added eight. DJ McCoy chipped in seven, and Aveion Dixon finished with six as the Panthers showed balance on the offensive end.
Plano West was led by Christian Darko, who was lights out in the win. Darko poured in a game-high 24 points, consistently finding ways to score at all three levels. Justin Reed Jr. provided additional support with 12 points, while James Barefield added eight.
One thing that has become abundantly clear is that the Panthers — despite some disappointing results — remain a fun team to watch, and head coach Eric Lockman is well aware of that fact. Even while playing from behind, Princeton continued to compete and made Plano West work deep into the game.
After opening District 6-6A play with a win over Plano, Princeton has dropped three straight games to McKinney (62-56), Allen (76-68) and Plano West. Even so, Lockman has remained encouraged by the way his team has competed against some of the top programs in the state, believing the Panthers are being hardened by a demanding district slate.
Lockman is confident Princeton can position itself for a postseason berth, something the program has not accomplished since the 2019-20 season. That year, the Panthers competed in Class 5A and were eliminated by Frisco in the bi-district round after finishing first in District 10-5A. Navigating a district loaded with ranked opponents such as Allen, Plano East, Plano and McKinney will not be easy, but Lockman believes his team has shown it can stack up with any of them.
Should Princeton make the playoffs this season, it will need a strong start after the new year. That push begins with a matchup against Prosper on Jan. 6, followed by a road test at McKinney Boyd on Jan. 9. Another challenging road contest at Plano East awaits on Jan. 13.