Tartans answer early deficit in MCT
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
Falling behind by 14 points in the first quarter isn’t the best way to start a tournament game.
But even after West Windsor-Plainsboro North came out making every shot to build a 26-12 lead, the Stuart Country Day School basketball team never got down.
”We just came out with intensity and listened to Coach (Tony Bowman),” said Stuart’s Jasmine Smarr, who finished with 14 points as the Tartans rallied for a 63-55 overtime win in an opening-round Mercer County Tournament game on Tuesday.
”We really picked it up on the defensive end. We were not getting out on their shooters in the first half. But then in the second half our defense really picked it up. We recognized the shooters and got a hand out on them.”
The Knights, who had scored just 28 points in their previous game, came out clicking on offense. Erin Egan scored 10 points and Deeksha Taneja added eight as North built a 26-12 lead late in the first quarter.
”I was upset,” said Bowman, whose ninth-seeded team will play at top-seeded Hamilton today. “That’s not the way a Stuart team plays defense. We were down but we kept playing. That’s the way they’ve been the last four or five games. And it has been our defense.
”We changed from a zone and went straight man. On offense, we score in bunches and we score quick. Jasmine had a great game for us. When she scores it gives us another dimension with Diamond (Lewis) and Amber (Bowman).”
Lewis, who finished with 19 points, and Bowman, who added 16, got the offense going. And once the Tartans clamped down on defense, they started to chip into the lead. It was 26-18 by the end of the first quarter and the lead was down to 36-32 by halftime.
The Tartans scored the first eight points of the second half to take a 40-36 lead before the Knights responded to go ahead 45-42. The lead changed hands several times down the stretch, with the game going into overtime. In the extra session, Stuart posted a 9-1 advantage, with Smarr hitting a crucial three-point basket.
”I have to give credit to my teammates,” Smarr said. “They would drive and get the ball out to me and I would be open. We enjoy playing. We love to play as a team. It all starts with our defense. As long we work together we’re a great team.”
Now the Tartans face a crucial weekend, facing Hamilton and then top-seeded Rutgers Prep on Sunday in the state Prep B semifinals. Stuart comes in as a confident team, having already knocked off some tough foes like North and Notre Dame.
”It helped a lot, especially when we play well as a team,” Smarr said. “We know it is playoff time and we don’t want our season to end. We want to win as many as we can. We played Rutgers Prep before so we’re just trying to make the adjustment and come out with the win. For Hamilton, we’re excited to play the No. 1 seed.”
In other MCT girls play on Tuesday, sixth-seeded WW-P South topped Pennington, 60-52, and will play at No. 3 seed Hopewell Valley today. Stefanie Dontas led the Pirates with a season-high 22 points, while Liz Huttner had 14 and Tory Sharpless added 12.
In the MCT boys tournament, second-seeded Princeton cruised past Allentown, 87-41, as DeQuan Holman led the way with 20 points. Skye Ettin had 19 and Brian Dunlap added 18 for the Little Tigers, who will host 10th-seeded Hamilton tonight.
WW-P North, the No. 13 seed, dropped a 65-57 decision at Lawrence. Darren Allen led the Knights with 20 points, while Ethan Harel added 17 in the loss.
Top-seeded WW-P South had a bye and will host No. 8 Hightstown tonight in the quarterfinals.

