Jillian Spurlock went out with a bang.

In what turned out to be her final high school game on Thursday night, the 5-foot-9 Hamilton High School senior established a new single-game school record with 37 points in a 51-44 Division I tournament loss to Princeton.

“I was not focused on how many points I had,” said Spurlock, who averaged 21.5 points per game this season. “I was trying to pull out the win.”

Princeton defeated Hamilton by more than 25 points twice during the regular season, but had to hold on down the stretch for the seven-point win.

“I think it would have stunned a lot of people,” Spurlock said. “I think it shocked a lot of people we were that close… I am sure Princeton was shocked. They beat us by more than 25 twice this year, so I was even a little shocked.”

Yet, there was the Big Blue with a chance to win the game late. Hamilton led 41-40 with 6:30 minutes left and trailed 45-44 with less than two minutes left.

One of the big reasons Hamilton was so close was the record night from Spurlock. She had 18 of Hamilton’s 20 first-half points and hit 13 of her 24 shots in the game. She also led the team with seven rebounds and two blocked shots.

“The first few going in got my momentum going,” Spurlock said. “It helped me out a lot confidence wise.”

Spurlock was under constant pressure from Princeton, but the Vikings never figured out how to stop the future Miami Redhawk.

“We had one play planned for me,” Spurlock said. “They weren’t stopping it and it was working so well, so we kept running it.”

Hamilton ends the season 7-17 and Spurlock admits it is going to be a little strange not being in the gym after school.

“I am really sad I am not going to have practice now,” Spurlock said. “But I have to look at it a positive way. I enjoyed playing for Hamilton and I knew it would come to an end at some point.”

Spurlock, who became the school’s all-time leading scorer this season, will skip AAU ball this year, opting instead to take some early classes at Miami while she works out on her own to get ready for the next challenge.

“I really am looking forward to it,” Spurlock said. “I can’t wait.”