Despite sting of first loss, Princeton players pick up fallen opponent

Princeton, ranked No. 1 in the state for the first time in school history, had just lost its first game of the season Saturday night, falling to Normal U-High, 76-69, at Prouty Gym.

It would have been easy for the players to pout and sulk. Or get a little angry.

The Tigers did none of the above.

They chose to be good sports.

While going through the postgame line with U-High, each member of the Princeton team went to the end of the Pioneers bench to shake hands with injured U-High starter Ty Blake, who left the game in the second quarter after taking a fall on a dunk attempt and did not return.

The PHS kids were not told to do that. They just thought it was the right thing to do.

“I don’t think it really was anybody’s idea. I think we just naturally did it,” PHS senior Grady Thompson said. “I think good sportsmanship like that is something that has been taught to all of us. It felt good to do that. Regardless of a win or loss you should still be kind.”

“He’s a competitor just like all of us. It’s a sad thing that he got hurt, so we went over to pay our respects, because he played a good game,” PHS senior Teegan Davis said.

Tiger coach Jason Smith said it was all his players’ doing as he did not know about it until he saw a picture posted on the BCR Twitter.

“That’s why I love these guys, because they’re more than just basketball players. They’re just good kids,” he said.

U-High coach Andrew McDowell also first saw the Tigers’ gesture as he was scrolling through Twitter on the bus ride home.

“I thought it was a classy act by the Princeton players to go over and shake his hand after the game,” he said.

McDowell said Monday that Blake’s knee was good, but his wrist was giving him some problems. However, they expect that to be “healed up sooner than later.”

Blake was a guest of his hometown ISU Redbirds on Sunday for the Redbirds win over SIU.