Stephens’ 3s fuel Tigress second-quarter surge

PRINCETON — A Midland dad yelled from the stands, “Don’t let her shoot,” as Princeton’s Molly Stephens hit her second straight three-pointer and third of the first half to lift the Tigresses to a 31-23 lead late in the second quarter in Friday’s Holiday Tournament game with Midland.

Stephens’ flurry capped a 22-5 spurt, including nine straight points, which turned an 18-9 deficit into a 31-23 lead. The senior guard finished with a team-high 23 points to lead the Tigresses to a 61-57 win over the Timberwolves.

“That’s the nice thing about our team. On any given night we have a kid who can score 20. I think we’re hard to key on one girl on our team. Any one of these girls is capable,” PHS coach Spencer Davis said.

PHS (2-0) will now take on old tournament rival Stark County, a 57-20 win over LaMoille/Ohio in Friday’s first game, in the championship game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Sophomores C.J. Rhodes (two free throws) and Jasmine Kunkel (a three) got the ball rolling. Lacey Jensen hit a free throw, Molly Harmon scored inside and Stephens downed two free throws to give PHS a 19-18 lead after trailing 18-9.

A Katie Click putback regained a 21-19 lead, a steal and fullcourt layup by Audra Ackerman and a post feed to Harmon put six straight points on the board for a 25-19 lead.

Stephens’ two threes made it 31-23, but a layup by Midland’s Sondra Monier to beat the halftime buzzer pulled the T-Wolves within 31-27.

“We picked up the pressure. We can press and we can run. I think they got a little tired,” Davis said. “We pressed them hard. We run a lot of girls in and out and they all play hard. That’s what’s nice about these girls, they play hard for me. I appreciate that.”

Stephens kept her hot hand in the third quarter, hitting a three from the corner and a two on an inbounds play for a 40-31 lead. She hit a short pop and then ran the wheel, kissing a bank shot off the glass to end the third for a 46-37 lead.