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Big Blue routed by Princeton

Hamilton lifeless after Vikings open second quarter with 10-2 run.

Hamilton's Ellie Kivell (left) dribbles the ball into the defense of Princeton's Kelsey Mitchell during Wednesday night's game at Princeton High School. Staff photo by Nick Daggy

Nick Daggy Hamilton's Ellie Kivell (left) dribbles the ball into the defense of Princeton's Kelsey Mitchell during Wednesday night's game at Princeton High School. Staff photo by Nick Daggy

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12:30 AM Thursday, February 9, 2012

By Jay Morrison

Staff Writer

SHARONVILLE — It wasn’t that Hamilton High School girls basketball coach Stefanie Miller was angry with what she saw Wednesday night at Princeton.

It was that she didn’t understand it.

“I don’t even know what team that was that showed up tonight,” Miller said following an 82-37 dismantling at the hands of the state-ranked Vikings.

“I can’t really scream and yell and be mad,” Miller continued. “It’s hard to coach and critique when nothing was there.”

Big Blue (11-8 overall, 5-8 Greater Miami Conference) was only down by five at the end of the first quarter, but Princeton (16-3, 12-1 GMC) started the second quarter on a 10-2 run, and that was it.

The Vikings took a 36-21 lead into halftime, and they emerged from the locker room with the same intensity they had at the start of the game.

Big Blue, on the other hand, was lifeless after the break and got buried.

“When you have nothing to lose, you’ve got to play like you’ve got nothing to lose,” Miller said. “And we just didn’t seem to do that tonight.

“At this point in the season, you want to be peaking and at your best,” she continued. “Princeton is a great team, so I know nerves had a lot to do with it.”

It was Senior Night for the Vikings, but it was junior guard Emily Roper who led the way with 19 points.

Sophomore guard and Player of the Year candidate Kelsey Mitchell added 11 points, and 11 other Princeton players found their way into the scoring column.

The Vikings were still chucking up 3-pointers late in the game with a huge lead – their final basket was a trey by sophomore reserve Shelby Baur with 25 seconds remaining – but Miller said she had no problem with it.

“Not at all,” she said. “I thought (Princeton coach Jill Phillips) was very respectful. She took Kelsey out early. I think Princeton just played their game.

“You don’t want them to stall and pull it out,” Miller added. “Why should they put their JV team in? This is their Senior Night. I’m happy for them. I’m happy for the seniors, that they went out with a good game. I just wish we could have give them a little bit better of a challenge.”

Miller did single out Benedicte Kage for her effort. The HHS senior guard finished with team highs in points (13) and rebounds (nine). But leading scorers Desiree Ash and Jillian Spurlock combined for just 15 points on 5-of-20 shooting.

“We have to regroup and figure it out quickly because we have (Lakota) East for Senior Night in two days,” Miller said. “It’s our last game of the season, and I know they don’t want to go out like this.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2193 or jmorrison@coxohio.com.

Focus on girls basketball Princeton 82, Hamilton 37

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