YOUNG TALENT: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Freddie Young Jr.  puts up a shot in recent action. Last Sunday, freshman guard Young scored 19 points as fourth-seeded PDS edged fifth-seeded Doane Academy 57-55 in the state Prep B quarterfinals. The Panthers, who topped Moorestown Friends 57-48 last Monday to improve to 11-11, host Springside-Chestnut Hill (Pa.) on February 8 before playing at first-seeded Morristown-Beard in the Prep B semis on February 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Freddie Young Jr. was primed for the first postseason appearance of his high school career as the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team hosted the Doane Academy in the state Prep B quarterfinals last Sunday.

“Coming into it I was thinking, we just beat them (74-71 on January 13) and we should be able to do it again,” said Young. “We had to play our hardest and to our full potential.”

Young played well from the outset, scoring the first five points of the game for PDS.

“Once I made my first shot and my second shot, I knew it was going to be my game and I wanted to keep going,” said Young.

After trailing 13-9 entering the second quarter, the Panthers got going, outscoring the Spartans 21-16 to forge ahead 30-29 at halftime.

“When we first started that quarter, it was moving slow and then we made one shot and then two shots,” said Young.

“Then all of a sudden we got hyped and started to play as a team and it just got better and better from there.”

PDS stayed hyped, rallying from a 49-43 deficit in the fourth quarter to pull out a 57-55 win on a buzzer-beating bucket from junior star and team captain Diggy Coit.

Young has been soaking up a lot from working with Coit. “I love playing with him, I really do,” said Young. “He teaches me, he is like my mentor he is like my big bro.”

Coming through in the clutch like his mentor, Young made a key layup with less than two minutes remaining in regulation to put the Panthers up 54-50.

“Nobody was open and I had to take it to the basket,” recalled Young, who ended up with 19 points in the contest.

Young’s superb performance in the tourney opener is a testament to his growth on the court this winter.

“As I came into the season, I was kind of an immature player,” said Young.

“I wasn’t as calm and collected as I am now and it is just a whole different feeling. I can slow the place of the game, I am just more in control.”

PDS head coach Kerry Foderingham feels lucky to have Young on his team.

“Freddie is unbelievable; as a freshman to be able to have the poise and toughness to go out there and compete on the varsity level every night, it is huge,” said Foderingham.

The Panthers showed poise collectively, going on a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter coming out of timeout called with 5:35 remaining in the game when they fell behind by six.

“Our coaching staff was saying that we needed a timeout,” said Foderingham. “I called it and I thought we got the guys refocused. It was good.”

Coit showed focus in making the game-winning shot, taking matters into his hands, calling for the ball and then driving hard to the hoop to get room for a running jumper.

“Diggy is a big time player; I said to him at the end that big time players make big time plays,” said Foderingham of Coit, who tallied 22 points in the win.

“He calls for a clear-out isolation and I am the type of coach that will give it to him. He has worked on his game for those moments.”

Having injury-plagued star Jaylin Champion available to play was a key factor for PDS in the game as he chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds.

“Obviously Jaylin is a talented player, but he is an emotional leader,” said Foderingham. “His energy brings a lot to the team. I think that is a big part of this.”

The Panthers drew energy from its reserves as Luke Franzoni had two points and 10 rebounds while Donovan Davis contributed two points, eight rebounds, two assists, and three steals.

“Having everyone healthy and getting everyone back on the court is big for us; we have great contributors off the bench,” said Foderingham.

With PDS hosting Springside-Chestnut Hill (Pa.) on February 8 before playing at first-seeded Morristown-Beard in the Prep B semis on February 11, Foderingham believes the team’s grit will serve it well.

“We were down with a couple of minutes to go and we showed a lot of toughness to win that game,” said Foderingham, whose team topped Moorestown Friends 57-48 last Monday to improve to 11-11

Young, for his part, enjoyed playing a big role in helping PDS get a win in his postseason debut.

“It is my first time having this experience,” said Young. “The whole team is happy and hyped, it is a good feeling. We started off kind of slow; we have a lot more chemistry now.”