IN HER GRIP: Princeton Day School girls’ basketball player Nica Martin handles the ball in recent action. Last Wednesday, senior guard Martin scored 10 points in a losing cause as top-seeded PDS fell 43-39 to fifth-seeded Notre Dame in the semifinal round of the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) Tournament. The Panthers, who defeated Peddie 54-18 last Friday in a regular season contest to move to 16-8, are next in action when they compete in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey Non-Public A Tournament. PDS is seeded ninth and will play at eighth-seeded Union Catholic in a first-round contest on February 26. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)
By Bill Alden
After emerging as a main ball handler in the backcourt for the Princeton Day School girls’ basketball team last winter, Nica Martin has transitioned into a shooting guard role this season.
“As compared to last year where I was playing point, this year it is a bit different because I am not on the ball as much,” said PDS senior guard Martin, noting that freshman Alana Williams has taken over the point guard spot this season. “Every year is a different team so no one is going to play the same role. This is the role I am playing now.”
Last Wednesday as top-seeded PDS hosted fifth-seeded Notre Dame in the CVC semis, Martin thrived in that role.
In the second quarter, Martin scored seven straight points to help PDS forge ahead 17-16 early in the period.
“It was great team play, I had some great passes from my teammates,” said Martin. “They helped set me up so I think that was a great example of how we can work together.”
The Panthers worked hard in the tense back-and-forth contest. After trailing 22-21 at halftime, PDS took a 36-31 lead early in the fourth quarter. But the Irish went on a 9-0 run to go ahead 40-36.
“I think heading in, we just wanted to hit our points of emphasis,” said Martin. “We have been practicing for them. We knew they were going to be a tough team to play. We were just trying to execute small details. It was a loud gym. The games always get exciting at the end. It was very rowdy.”
With about 20 seconds left in regulation, Martin sent the packed gym into an uproar as she drained a three-pointer to make it a 40-39 game.
“I was just trying to get us on the board,” said Martin, reflecting on her clutch shot. “We were running out of time.”
The Panthers, though, couldn’t pull it out as Notre Dame made three free throws in the last 10 seconds of the game to secure a 43-39 win.
In the wake of her bucket, Martin had hoped that PDS could overcome the Irish. “I was hoping we would but it didn’t go our way,” said Martin, who has scored 153 points this year with 30 three-pointers.
While things didn’t go the way of the Panthers, Martin believes the program can build on the run to the semis.
“Heading into the season one of our goals was to win the CVC tournament, obviously it didn’t happen,” said Martin. “I think there is a great group of underclassmen in there. As they continue to work, they will see themselves going farther next year.”
PDS head coach Pat Reddington knew his team would have to work hard to top a Notre Dame team it defeated 52-36 on February 2.
“They are a well-coached team,” said Reddington. “We never expected to just come in here and roll over anybody. It was a tough game.”
Heading into the second half, Reddington was looking for his team to stay the course.
“Our goal is always don’t turn the ball over and continue to attack the mismatches that we thought we had and keep shooting the ball like we were,” said Reddington. “We missed a couple ins and outs where it popped out. It was those are going to fall so let’s keep shooting them.”
Things didn’t fall for the Panthers in the fourth quarter as they made some ball handling errors.
“We were up late, we were trying to hold on to the ball and do a good job of taking select shots and that didn’t happen,” said Reddington. “Instead it turned into turnovers, us throwing the ball back to the other team. That hurts you when you get fast breaks going the other way.”
Reddington credited Martin with making key buckets.
“Nica is always someone who we rely on for those big shots and she did it for us,” said Reddington. “She is out there, just like the rest of the girls, putting everything on the line and giving that effort for us. We love Nica and going into next year she will definitely be missed.”
Freshman forward Reilly Malin gave the Panthers a great effort in the paint against the Irish.
“We had her for 13 points and 16 rebounds, we are waiting for those big games to come from her because we see that in practice everyday,” said Reddington. “She is another freshman we are definitely looking forward to having for the next three years.”
While the loss stung, Reddington appreciated the big effort he got from his players.
“I just told them to keep their heads up, it is nothing to have your head down about,” said Reddington, whose team defeated Peddie 54-18 last Friday in a regular season contest to move to 16-8. “You played an awesome game, you played an awesome team. It was a very loud gym and a great experience for our young kids to learn from. It is nothing to hang your heads about for the seniors, they made history at PDS regardless of the end result. It is enjoying the process and enjoying the journey throughout the entire season. That is what’s important.”
With PDS starting play this week in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey Non-Public A Tournament where it is seeded ninth and will play at eighth-seeded Union Catholic in a first-round contest on February 26, Reddington believes his squad can make some more history.
“It is just learn from it and the little things that we did late that cost us,” said Reddington. “Hopefully if there is another game that presents itself like that, we won’t make those same mistakes. It is staying off the sideline, going back to the ball and then just not forcing passes inside when we don’t have to.”
In Martin’s view, the Panthers will apply what they learned from the setback as they head into states.
“I think one thing we have focused on all year is having a consistent game throughout,” said Martin. “Today was one of the better ones but obviously we didn’t fully execute. I think it is bringing that into states and just making sure we are going hard all four quarters.”