Princeton and Hall girls basketball fans have grown accustomed to some nail-biting finishes the past two years. The Tigresses have won by just two earlier this season and last, while the Red Devils went into overtime winning by seven on their homecourt a year ago.

Thursday’s matchup in Spring Valley was not one of those kind of contests.

The Tigresses (21-6) opened up a 15-point lead late in the second quarter and led by as many as 23 early in the fourth quarter on the way to a runaway 48-28 Three Rivers East victory.

“I think we just wanted it more, and we pushed hard to get there,” Princeton senior Keighley Davis said.

The convincing win over the rival Red Devils was a welcome reprieve for Princeton.

“Looking over the years I’ve coached, it’s always a battle, really close game. Yeah, it feels good to walk away with a convincing win,” Princeton coach Tiffany Gonigam said. “We’ve had to overcome a lot of diversity this year, losing Cam (Driscoll to a knee injury). We’ve continued to show progress since the beginning of January, [and] when that happened it really gives the girls a lot of confidence.”

Hall scored the last four points of the second quarter and the first three of the third to pull within 27-19. Then Davis and Payton Brandt ganged up on the Red Devils to put the game away for the Tigresses.

Davis scored eight straight points, capped by a give-and-go play with Ava Munson to put the Tigresses up 32-23.

“I put a lot on myself to get to the rim,” Davis said.

“They put a bit of a press on, and Keighley being a point guard put it on herself to break it,” Gonigam said. “I think that was something that kind of sped us up a little bit. I know a lot of those were fast breaks that she was putting herself into good position. Defense to offense just finding open spots in the zone.”

Brandt ended the quarter with a putback and opened up the fourth quarter with a bucket in the post to extended the Tigresses’ lead to 42-22.

“I think the girls played really, really tough defense. I thought the girls shared the ball really well, so that led to good looks,” Gonigam said. “Lot of the baskets we had in the first half were because we were moving it around, and when we got it here, it was a catch and shoot.”

Hall coach TJ Orlandi said the Red Devils had a slow start and just couldn’t get things going. Then when they showed some energy to start the second half, they couldn’t make any shots.

“They just seemed more ready to play tonight than we were,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s senior night festivities is a little different? I just thought we were flat from the beginning.

“We came out with a little bit of energy in the third quarter and missed a layup and a couple good looks in the lane and didn’t convert. If you make a couple of those, maybe you cut it down to seven or five, and you never know. Kind of been our struggle all year, just scoring. At times we get some good look and can’t consistently put it in the basket. Just been a struggle.”

Between them, Davis (23) and Brandt (19) accounted for all but six points of Princeton’s scoring on the night. Davis’ night included two 3-pointers in the first quarter with a third in the second. Brandt also stepped for a pair of treys in the first half.

Orlandi said the Red Devils had no answer for the Tigers tandem.

“Davis and Brandt had 42 of their 48. Pretty much a two-girl show,” Orlandi said. “When Davis gets out in the open court with full steam, she’s tough to stop. But tonight she hit three 3s as well. Not that she’s not a good shooter, but you’re more worried about her pushing ball up in the lane and around the hoop.”

Senior point guard Charlie Pellegrini led Hall on senior night with 12 points, and freshman Bernadette Larsen chipped in seven.

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Princeton's Kiyrra Morris fires away Thursday night at Hall. The Tigresses won 48-28. (Mike vaughn)