By BRIAN WOODSON
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
PRINCETON — Layup drills are a pregame ritual common to basketball. They just usually don’t break out during a game.
They did on Wednesday afternoon, as Princeton made layup after layup in a 97-34 rout of Lincoln County at Princeton Senior High School.
McKenzie Akers recorded a rare triple-double, collecting 28 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists (along with five steals), as the Tigerettes took a 20-0 first quarter lead, and eventually built the margin to as much as 65.
“We have been working on our offense and trying to get them to gel together on that,” Princeton head coach Debbie Ball said. “I guess after seven games it finally happened.”
Princeton finished the 2011 part of its schedule with a perfect 7-0 record.
“Actually I am a little surprised about that,” Ball said. “I thought we might lose a couple of games, I don’t mind not losing, in their minds that is pretty good.”
Definitely.
“I wanted it,” Akers said. “It makes me so happy.”
The Tigerettes made Princeton fans happy on this day, with Princeton rarely taking a shot outside of the paint. They were 40-for-70 (57.1 percent) for the game, and 30-47 (63.8) through three quarters. The Tigers were 11-12 in the second period and made 8-of-9 to open the second half.
It all revolved around the transition game, as the Tigerettes ran up and down the floor, with Princeton making the extra pass, with four players with double figures at the break.
“We are looking for that since we are so small,” Ball said. “When we have to set up and play against bigger opponents it kind of hurts us so we look to run a little bit.”
That’s all they did in this game. Meanwhile, the Panthers struggled mightily in dropping to 0-8, scoring two points on free throws in the first quarter, and missing 12 straight from the field before Taylor Lucas connected with 6:37 to go in the second quarter.
By then, the Tigerettes already led 25-2.
“It is hard with a younger team, but we have played teams like this before and when we give effort we play hard,” Lincoln County head coach Tim Elliott said. “I don’t know if we were still on Christmas break or what.”
Princeton put on a passing clinic at times, moving the ball around and getting easy shots at the hoop.
“Whatever it takes to win,” said Akers, who did make three of Princeton’s five 3s in the game.
There was no overlooking the Panthers, who had lost by 63, 59, 50 and 47 points before facing the Tigerettes.
“We have a tendency of playing to the other team’s level so we just have to play our game,” Akers said. “No matter who we play or how good or bad they are, we have just got to play our game.”
They did it well in this one.
Princeton wasted little time putting this one away, with Akers scoring seven first quarter points, as the Tigerettes built a 20-0 lead before Aleks Lawson hit two free throws with 22.7 seconds on the clock.
It never got better for the Panthers. Akers and Marissa Mullins scored seven each, Kendria Perkins added six and Hannah Preservati had five, as the Tigerettes outscored Lincoln County 25-11 in the period to take a 45-13 lead at the break.
Preservati stood out with her contributions, providing 21 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals, all of which were noticed by Akers.
“I think AAU ball has helped a lot,” said Akers, whose sister, Tesla, is a former Princeton standout and is now a junior starter at Ferrum. “Like my sister we want to go up to state like everybody else does.”
Marissa Mullins added 15 points and four assists and Kendria Perkins scored 12 points and pulled down seven rebounds for the Tigerettes. That quartet combined to score all 45 first half points.
Lucas scored six of her eight points in the opening half for the Panthers, while Amanda Salmons led Lincoln County with 12 points, including four 3s, and three of those came after the break.
In all, the Panthers were just 11-57 (19.3) from the field.
“It happens, it seems like some nights we have it and some nights we can’t hit the broad side of a barn,” Elliott said. “Tonight was one of those nights.”
Salmons connected on a 3 to open the third quarter, and Tigerettes scored the next 19 points, with Cydney Graham becoming the fifth Princeton player to get on the board with 4:12 left in the period.
Princeton continued to pour it on, expanding a 75-20 lead into 65 points on a basket by Maranda Wimmer before settling for the 63-point win.
Graham and Wimmer scored six points apiece, while Ashley Culicerto dished out four assists and Rachel Surface and Khadija Payne pulled down five rebounds each.
“I know Lincoln is a little bit down and we are going to play tougher opponents, but Lincoln actually has some athletes.” Ball said. “I look for their program to be better.”
About the only suspense in the second half came from the small, but cat-quick Akers, who reached double figures in points and rebounds early, but needed one assist for that triple-double as the final period continued.
“The whole fourth quarter they were saying ‘one more away’,” said Akers, who wasn’t upset with not reaching the century mark. “We won and that is all that matters.”
Despite being one of the smallish players on the court, Akers finished with 13 rebounds, even though her father tries to discourage her from taking a chance at getting hurt. She just can’t help herself.
“He doesn’t like me getting rebounds,” said Akers, with a smile. “I just wanted the ball and wanted the win.”
That’s all they’ve done so far this season. Up next is Nitro on Wednesday.
“The way we are playing now, 7-0 is unheard of in our conference,” Akers said. “If we just play our game and try to work better, then anything can happen.”
—Contact Brian Woodson
at bwoodson@bdtonline.com


at Princeton Senior High School
LINCOLN COUNTY (0-8)
Olivia Topping 1 0-0 2, Aleks Lawson 0 4-4 4, Taylor Lucas 3 2-5 8, Olivia Dean-Algoe 1 0-0 2, Kayla Lucas 1 0-1 2, Amanda Salmons 4 0-0 12, Haley Stanley 1 2-2 4, Savanna Thompson 0 0-0 0, Laura Williamson 0 0-0 0. Totals 11-57 8-12 34.
PRINCETON (7-0)
McKenzie Akers 12 1-1 28, Kendria Perkins 5 2-2 12, Marissa Mullins 6 2-4 15, Hannah Preservati 8 4-6 21, Cydney Graham 2 2-2 6, Ashley Culicerto 1 1-2 3, Stephanie Lambert 2 0-0 4, Rachel Surface 1 0-0 2, Maranda Wimmer 3 0-0 6, Khadija Payne 0 0-0 0. Totals 40-70 12-17 97.
Lincoln County.....................2 11 7 14 — 34
Princeton............................20 25 30 22 — 97
3-point goals: LC 4 (Salmons 4); PR 5 (Akers 3, Preservati 1, Mullins 1). Total fouls: LC 18; PR 11. Fouled out: none. JV: PR 49-23 (Brandy Snow 16, Culicerto 10, Wimmer 8).