12/11/09 - Princeton
December 23, 2009
VIEW GAME PHOTOS Photos by Michelle Anderson
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12/11/09 –Princeton 68 Rock Falls 54
Rockets Fall Short against Tigers,
lack of rebounding beats
Rockets in the end
By Bob Martin
Rock Falls
14 22
8
10 54
Princeton
15 14
18
21 68
This was an early test of two teams ranked highly in the AP preseason poll with Princeton (6-0, 2-0) ranked 4th and Rock Falls (5-3, 1-1) ranked 8th and certainly was expected to give definition to the Lincoln Conference race for this season. Although the final score shows Princeton won by 14 points this is very misleading as the Rockets led for the majority of the game, and only trailed by 4 points with 2 ½ minutes remaining in the contest.
After playing weak opening halves in their last 2 games, the Rockets opened this contest with a strong showing and enjoyed as much as a 9 point lead. This was accomplished by a tremendous offensive showing by Jake Junis, and a solid team performance on defense, primarily with a 1-2-2 zone which bottled up the capable Tiger offense. Junis turned in an all around excellent performance leading the Rockets with a career high 39 points (including 9 long balls), and strong hustling defense and rebounding. Shay Brown continued his solid play of mistake free basketball accented by his ability to pick the opponent’s pocket. On the negative side, the taller Tigers had their way on the offensive boards and in the end were able to put the game away with free throw shooting. The Rockets found foul shooting a liability as they only converted on 9 of 17 chances while the Tigers were 15 for 23 (19 attempts occurred in the last period).
After Princeton opened the scoring, Junis tallied on a putback which was followed by a layup by Brett Chappell. After a Princeton field goal, Junis began his assault with his first long ball (assist Chappell). After one free throw by the Tigers, Dylan Austinconverted on a fast break layup, countered with a basket by Princeton but answered by Junis’ second long ball, assist Austin (12-7, 3:20). After a Princeton tally, Junis mixed it up, scoring on a 6’ floater but then the Rockets were guilty of two turnovers and Princeton ran off 3 straight field goals to take a one point lead at the end of the quarter (14-15).
To open the 2nd period, Austin fed Junis who nailed long ball #3, followed quickly by Brown stealing the ball at mid-court and taking this home with a fast break layup. After a Princeton fieldgoal, Austin converted 1 of 2 from the charity stripe and then a few minutes of sloppy play ensued. Princeton threw the ball away and immediately took it back from the Rockets, then Matt Lauts stole it back and was fouled while shooting but was unable to convert either attempt (20-17, 5:39). For the balance of this stanza Junis would go on a tear; here is the sequence. Junis long ball #4 (assist Austin), Princeton fieldgoal, Junis long ball #5 (assist TJ Teske), Princeton 3 pointer, Junis long ball #6, assist Gordo Barron (29-22, 3:24). After a Princeton basket and one free throw by Brown, Princeton notched a 3 pointer to close to 3 points (30-27, 2:13). The Rockets then scored the next 6 points started by a Junis steal who later converted a one and bonus opportunity, followed by a Brown steal and a putback by Chappell and concluded with 2 Junis free throws (36-27, 0:20). Princeton held for the last shot and was successful to close the Rocket lead to 7 points at halftime (36-29). At this point Junis had scored 26 of the Rocket’s 36 point in the game. How hot was Junis on this night? Besides shooting 9 for 11 from beyond the arc, at one point while chasing a loose ball and moving horizontally into the stands, he threw it to his basket from beyond half court and just missed connecting. Had that gone in, the Princeton coach may have left the building.
The all important first 3 minutes of the 3rd quarter did not go the way the Rockets intended as Princeton scored the first 6 points erasing the Rocket cushion. Austin stopped this scoring on a drive which Princeton countered with 2 free throws but then Junis nailed long ball #7, assisted by Chappell, giving the Rockets a 4 point lead (41-37, 4:45). After the teams swapped turnovers, Princeton scored 2 baskets to tie the game (41-41, 3:46). On the next Rocket possession Junis drilled long ball #8 (assist Austin); Princeton responded with a basket and when the Rockets could not complete an interior pass for a layup, Princeton took their first lead since the end of the 1st quarter (44-45, 2:34) and the Rockets would never enjoy the lead again. In the last few minutes of the quarter Rock Falls turned the ball over 4 times and Princeton 3 times. At the end of 3 quarters, Princeton led 47-44.
To start the 4th quarter Princeton turned the ball over on 3 consecutive possessions on steals by Austin and Barron and one bad pass, but the Rockets could only convert on one of these opportunities when Junis scored on a fast break layup. The inability to take advantage of these opportunities paved the way to the Rocket’s demise. Princeton scored 7 of the next 8 points with Austin making one free throw (47-54, 4:32) but then Junis gave Rock Falls new hope when he notched long ball #9 (assist Chappell). After a Princeton field goal, 2 Junis free throws, and 2 free throws by Princeton, Junis fed Chappell for a layup and the deficit was back to 4 points (54-58, 2:33). On the next Princeton possession Brown came up with his 3rd steal of the game but the Rocket’s hopes were dashed when they immediately turned the ball back to the Tigers on an errant pass. From this point the Rockets began intentionally fouling and Princeton converted on 10 of 14 attempts. With time pressure on the Rockets they were unable to get good looks on offense and did not score again, and Princeton prevailed 68-54.
Rocket Scorers:
Jake Junis 39
Dylan Austin 6
Shay Brown 5
Brett Chappell 4
