Princeton senior, coach urge community to pack stands for state championship at Dayton

Princeton High School senior Maury, a starting guard on the Vikings’ girls basketball team, and Coach Dee Davis asked the Princeton community to attend the team’s state championship game Saturday at 8:30 p.m. at the University of Dayton.

Maury said the state appearance reflects years of work and personal growth and asked supporters to show up: “I just want to say thank you to everybody for your support throughout the season,” she said.

The request matters because a visible crowd was described by coaches and players as part of the team’s morale. Coach Dee Davis, who also serves as a secondary wellness coordinator at the school, described the season as one of development and chemistry after an uneven start. “Sometimes you have to go through it to get to it, and you have to go through some of the hard to show how resilient you are,” Davis said, crediting the team’s recent month-and-a-half stretch for bringing players together on both ends of the floor.

Davis and Maury both emphasized that the team’s progress was not only athletic. The coach highlighted leadership development: Maury “had to step into a large leadership role” during her senior season, Davis said, and the player said she focused on keeping the team united after early-season setbacks.

The program has drawn community attention: Davis noted a banner celebrating a McDonald’s All-American from Princeton in the school gym and recalled the standing-room crowds in the school’s previous, smaller gymnasium. The team and coaching staff asked supporters to wear school colors and attend the game at the University of Dayton to cheer the players in person.

The segment concluded with a straightforward appeal to the public and thanks from players and staff. The team’s game time and location were given on air as Saturday at 8:30 p.m. at the University of Dayton.