WEST CHESTER TWP. — Princeton turned defense into disruption, and disruption into a statement.
Relentless pressure rattled Lakota West into 23 turnovers Wednesday night, and the Vikings rode that chaos to a 54-47 victory that ended the Firebirds’ unbeaten run through the Greater Miami Conference.
Princeton sophomore guard Erin Thomas poured in 26 points as the Vikings seized control of the game with their defense in the second half.
Lakota West slipped to 15-4 overall and 12-1 in the GMC, while Princeton improved to 14-3 and 11-1 — leaving the two powers atop the league standings with one conference loss apiece. The Vikings have won three straight against the Firebirds. Wednesday’s game is the only time these two teams will play during the regular season.
“Kudos to Lakota West — they’re a great shooting team, they’re a well-coached team, and it was a hard-fought win today,” Princeton coach Dee Davis said. “We knew their strengths were shooting the 3 and shooting well from the free-throw line. We had to do a better job of identifying shooters in transition and just being more aggressive.”
That aggression showed up most clearly in the turnover column. Princeton finished with 13 steals, repeatedly trapping ball handlers and jumping passing lanes — especially in the decisive third quarter when Lakota West managed just seven points.
Lakota West coach Jay Chadwell felt the game tilt the moment Princeton increased its defensive heat.
“Well, I thought we came out ready,” Chadwell said. “The second quarter was really good. I thought they raised their pressure to another level in the second half — I think we had 23 turnovers — and that’s just too many. Too many lost possessions against a good team like Princeton.”
Freshman forward Zoe Odame kept the Firebirds within striking distance, finishing with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting and grabbing seven rebounds. Firebirds senior Katie Fox added 12 points and seven boards, while senior Sydney Williams knocked down three 3-pointers for nine.
Chadwell praised Odame’s composure amid the storm.
“Zoe had a really good game for us,” Chadwell said. “She looked to get downhill and finish and didn’t shy away from contact. Zoe is a difference-maker for us on both sides of the floor.”
Princeton led 14-9 after one quarter before Lakota West found rhythm in the second, outscoring the Vikings 16-9 to take a 25-23 halftime lead.
Thomas helped ignite a 13-7 third-quarter run as Princeton reclaimed a 36-32 edge. The Vikings’ defense dictated every possession, forcing rushed passes and contested shots that never allowed Lakota West to settle.
“She’s a big-time player. The kid flat out can play,” Davis said of Thomas. “When she’s hitting shots it’s scary, but she does a great job of finding her teammates and helping everybody around her be better.”
Najah Love Muhammad added six points and a game-high nine rebounds for Princeton, while Smith delivered four points and two blocks off the bench. The Vikings shot 20-of-49 from the field and overcame an 11-for-19 night at the free-throw line by dominating the turnover battle 23-11.
Lakota West won the rebounding battle 33-23 and shot 78 percent at the line, but the lost possessions proved too costly.
“You can’t beat a lot of good teams turning the ball over 23 times — you just can’t,” Chadwell said. “Even if you only score two points on those possessions, you’re giving away 46 potential points. … The takeaway is we’ve got to take care of the ball.”
Despite the defeat, the Firebirds remain squarely in the picture for a conference title.
“We’re still in control of our own destiny,” Chadwell said. “We can still get a share of it if nothing happens on the other side, and again, that’s where you want to be right here is not have to depend on somebody else to kind of do your job. Obviously, we would have liked to have gotten this one. It’s still exciting for us to play for a high seed a tough southwest D-I tournament and potentially for a GMC title as well.”
Davis viewed the win as proof of her team’s identity.
“Our kids are hungry,” Davis said. “We left something on the table last year and we’re still trying to figure it out, but we’re getting better every day.”
Both teams hit the road on Saturday. Lakota West travels to Colerain, while Princeton heads to Oak Hills.
