Cougars Edge St. Thomas Aquinas in 62–57 Thriller; Princeton Hands MHS Girls Road Defeat
Nicholas Mistretta
MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent
SKILLMAN / PRINCETON — It was a split decision for Montgomery High School basketball on Saturday, as the boys varsity team outlasted St. Thomas Aquinas in a high-energy home matinee, while the girls varsity squad dropped a tough road contest to a strong Princeton side.
Lin Leads Montgomery Boys in Statement Win Over St. Thomas Aquinas
At home, Montgomery’s boys (12–3) held off a late surge from St. Thomas Aquinas (5–7) to secure a 62–57 victory in a game that featured big performances on both sides and momentum swings in every quarter.
The Cougars started fast, taking a 17–12 lead after the first quarter and extending the margin to 37–29 by halftime behind efficient shooting and balanced scoring. Montgomery outscored Aquinas 12–9 in the third to move in front 49–38 entering the fourth, but the visitors refused to go away, pouring in 19 points in the final period to make it a one-possession game down the stretch.
Senior guard Ethan Lin was the offensive catalyst for Montgomery, finishing with a game-high 24 points, including seven two-point field goals, two three-pointers and made four free throws. Lin consistently attacked the defense, scoring at all three levels and answering several Aquinas runs with timely baskets.
Sophomore Mike Simborski added 12 points, giving the Cougars a strong interior presence, while sharpshooting Connor Benedict knocked down three three-pointers and totaled 11 points.
Montgomery also received key contributions from Shriyans Mallavarapu, who chipped in 9 points, and James Kamara, who added 6 points. The Cougars’ ability to spread the scoring threat across multiple players helped them withstand Aquinas’ push in the final minutes.
St. Thomas Aquinas was led by standout efforts from Dan Jennings and Albion Ahmetaj. Jennings scored 22 points, including four three-pointers, while Ahmetaj recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks in a dominant two-way performance in the paint. Zymere Weaver added 5 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, giving the visitors a versatile presence on the perimeter.
Ultimately, Montgomery’s early cushion and poise at key moments proved decisive, as the Cougars protected their home floor and continued their strong start to the season.
Princeton Uses Big Third Quarter to Pull Away From Montgomery Girls
On the road in Princeton, the Montgomery girls (6–5) fell 39–28 to the Tigers (10–3), who used a decisive third quarter and a standout performance from Chloe Hunt to take control of the game.
Montgomery opened well, leading 9–7 after the first quarter behind solid defense and perimeter shooting. Princeton responded in the second, outscoring the Cougars 13–6 to take a 20–15 advantage into halftime.
The turning point came in the third quarter, when Princeton outscored Montgomery 16–4, stretching the lead to double digits and seizing full control. The Cougars battled back in the fourth and outscored the Tigers 9–3, but the deficit proved too large to overcome.
Princeton’s Hunt was the difference-maker, delivering 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks and 5 steals in a complete performance on both ends of the floor. Leah Bornstein added 9 points and 4 steals, while Katie Sharkey finished with 7 points and 5 rebounds. As a team, Princeton collected 26 rebounds, 13 assists, 5 blocks and 17 steals, setting the tone with its defense.
Montgomery was led by Alia Johnson, who turned in a strong all-around game with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals, including a 5-for-6 effort at the free-throw line.
Aliza Schulberg and Sophia Lehmann provided perimeter scoring, each hitting two three-pointers and finishing with 6 points. Abby Schwartz anchored the glass with 10 rebounds, adding 2 points, 3 steals and a block, while Virginia Herring contributed 2 points and 3 boards.
Despite totaling 30 rebounds and 15 steals as a team, the Cougars struggled to generate enough offense during Princeton’s decisive third-quarter run and could not fully recover.
Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com