The Mercer Cardinals and Princeton Tigers slogged their way through a low-scoring first half on Friday night at North Mercer High School, with neither team able to break away from the other, as the Tigers took a 20-17 lead to the locker room.
Both the pace of the game, and the scoring level, rose significantly in the second half, as the host Cardinals scored 22 points in both the third and fourth quarters, overtaking the rival Tigers and winning 61-57, in the back-end of a varsity doubleheader broadcast on KTTN FM 92.3.
Cam Hartley’s interior play was critical for Mercer after halftime, with the sophomore scoring 14 of his 16 points after the break, and going to the free throw line nine times (hitting four) in the second half. Hunter Shipley added 14 for the Cardinals, with Austin Nix scoring 12, and Jonathan Johnson 10 points (all in the second half).
The Cardinals improve to 2-2 with the victory. Princeton, falling to 3-3 heading into their Grand River Conference opener on Tuesday night at Trenton High School, had 16 points from Andrew Smith, Blaine Millburn with 12, and Preston Thomas with 10 points.
The Princeton Lady Tigers improved to 4-2 on the season with a 44-31 road win at Mercer, dropping the Lady Cardinals to 0-4 on the campaign. Jaelyn Thomas led PHS with 24 points, while Payton Goodin scored 14. For Mercer, Esabel Holt had 12 points, with Aubrey Wilson adding nine.
Other final scores from Friday, December 8, 2017 were:
GIRLS:
Gilman City 37, Pattonsburg 31
Albany 45, West Nodaway 17
Schuyler County 50, Milan 45
King City 55, South Harrison 24
East Atchison 51, North Andrew 46
Stanberry 67, Bishop LeBlond 16
Worth County 40, East Harrison 36
Scotland County 50, Putnam County 40
Mid-Buchanan 67, East Buchanan 59 (KCI Tournament championship)
Southwest Livingston 71, Northwestern 30
Atlanta 55, Linn County 42
BOYS:
Pattonsburg 62, Gilman City 43
Southwest Livingston 67, Northwestern 63
Linn County 69, Atlanta 38
Penney (Hamilton) 66, Plattsburg 41 (KCI Tournament 3rd place)
Mid-Buchanan 54, Lawson 47 (KCI Tournament championship)
West Nodaway 63, Albany 61
Milan 64, Schuyler County 21
King City 66, South Harrison 65
Bishop LeBlond 68, Stanberry 27
Maryville 56, Worth County 36
Scotland County 62, Putnam County 44
Lafayette 77, Platte County 65
Jefferson 58, Mound City 42
Rock Port 56, Osborn 19
