Princeton Vikings held off the Lakota West Firebirds 58-54 Friday night at Viking Village in Sharonville, Ohio, preserving their lead atop the Greater Miami Conference.

The game mattered for the conference race: Princeton (13-4 overall, 11-1 GMC) built a double-digit lead in the second half but faced a late surge from Lakota West (12-5, 8-4) before closing out the win at the free-throw line. Reserve player Santiago — who did not start — scored a season-high 24 points off the bench and hit late free throws that sealed the outcome.

Princeton led by as many as 12 in the second half but saw Lakota West trim the margin with halftime adjustments and increased offensive rebounds. Lakota West guard Joshua Tyson scored 15 points and Bryce Curry hit several key shots in the fourth quarter as the Firebirds mounted their comeback. LJ Green supplied physical work on the offensive glass for Lakota West, repeatedly producing second-chance opportunities.

Princeton’s offense was balanced. Amir Gill finished in double figures (transcript references 14 points at one point) and Jordan Johnson provided timely finishes in the lane. The Vikings used team defense and offensive rebounds at critical moments to regain control after turnovers allowed West to climb back into contention late in the game.

In the final minute, Princeton held a slim lead. With under 10 seconds to play, Lakota West fouled to stop the clock; Santiago made the resulting free throws and Princeton escaped with a four-point margin. The broadcast voiced that the Vikings “made their free throws when it counted,” an observation aired on ICRC TV by announcer Tori Cornett.

The game was called and narrated on ICRC TV by Kyle Evans and Tori Cornett. The broadcast highlighted Princeton’s continued conference lead and noted that Lakota West’s third-quarter run and late pressure put the Vikings under sustained stress before Princeton closed the game from the line.

Princeton improves to 13-4 overall and 11-1 in the GMC; Lakota West falls to 12-5 overall and 8-4 in conference play. No formal actions, votes, or administrative decisions were part of the broadcast.

Looking ahead, both teams remain in the conference race; the broadcast listed other GMC matchups of the night, including Oak Hills at Hamilton and Mason at Lakota East.