Talented recruits lack size

The Tigers will also be aided by a fresh batch of recruits. The group will be the first who had extended contact with Johnson during its senior year of high school.

The recruiting class is headlined by six-foot, six-inch, 205-pound forward Patrick Saunders, ranked the No. 70 small forward by ESPN and given a grade of 75. Currently a senior at The New Hampton School in New Hampton, N.H., Saunders is best known for his versatility. A skilled long-range jumper and three-point shooter, Saunders is also able to score down low with his back to the basket, allowing him to play both small forward and power forward.

As is the case with many of Princeton’s best players historically, Saunders has a very high basketball IQ. He knows how to move with or without the ball, understands how to pass within the flow of the offense and doesn’t make many mental mistakes.

Saunders will need to add some muscle to fully adjust to the college game. At 205 pounds, he will struggle to battle with bulky post players and is not quick enough laterally to cover swift perimeter players.

The Tigers’ second big-time recruit is Max Huc, a 6’1”, 180-pound point guard. Huc attends basketball powerhouse Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., where he helped lead the Bobcats to a New England Class A championship. Despite spending his senior year backing up Ohio State-bound Anthony Crater, Huc was a McDonald’s All-America Nominee and a First-team All-Mid-Atlantic Prep League Selection.

Huc is an excellent distributor also known for his superb defense. Playing at a high-profile prep school against top-notch competition will also go a long way toward preparing Huc for the Ivy League.

Johnson brought in another point guard in 5’11” Doug Davis from The Hun School of Princeton, just down the road from the University. As a junior, Davis helped lead Hun to a double-overtime victory over Blair Academy in the New Jersey Prep A Division Tournament. Davis was the MVP of the Peddie School Invitational this past season and is a skilled outside shooter who should fit nicely into the Princeton Offense.

Princeton adds another forward in 6’7”, 215-pound Zane Ma. Ranked the No. 147 power forward by ESPN with a grade of 66, Ma comes to Princeton from North Hollywood, Calif., where he attended Harvard-Westlake. Like Saunders, Ma is considered a small forward/power forward “tweener.” He separates himself, though, with his excellent passing and solid understanding of the game.

Ma has good hands and shoots with good touch within 15 feet but will need to add some bulk to defend collegiate post players or some speed to defend perimeter players.

John Comfort, a 6’6” forward, rounds out the incoming freshman class. Comfort comes to Princeton from The Fenwick School in Oak Park, Ill. He is a sharpshooter from long range and was an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Class 3A/4A All-State Special Mention selection.

A lot will be asked of the recruits to help improve a team that finished tied for last in the Ivy League last season at 3-11. The Tigers often struggled to close out games last season, and the addition of players like Davis and Huc, who have already played in big-time games, should help ameliorate this problem.

But the recruits’ biggest task will be filling the shoes of departing senior forwards and co-captains Noah Savage and Kyle Koncz, who have been pillars on the team for the past four seasons. In addition, the incoming class will not benefit, however, from senior guard Kevin Steurer’s work ethic and emotionl leadership. With Princeton losing two of its top three scorers, Saunders, Ma and Comfort will be expected to help continue the Tigers’ production from the forward positions, and their success will go a long way toward helping the Tigers recuperate from back-to-back last-place finishes in the Ivy League.