The defending state champion Princeton Vikings will enter the 2026-27 boys basketball season without their top scorer. Amire Gill, the 6-foot-3 junior guard who earned MVP honors in the Division I state final in March, is transferring to Masters Academy International in Stow, Massachusetts.

Princeton coach Bryan Wyant confirmed the move to WCPO on Aug. 5.

"Amire played an important role in helping Princeton win a state championship, and the relationships, memories and legacy he created here will always be part of our program's history," Wyant said in a text message.

Gill averaged 17.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game last season and was a Division I first-team all-state selection. He holds at least 12 Division I scholarship offers, including Virginia Tech, South Florida, Miami University, Wright State, Akron, Kent State, Duquesne, Toledo, Eastern Michigan, Ohio University, Canisius and Loyola University Chicago.

His biggest moment came March 22 at University of Dayton Arena, where he scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Princeton's 59-28 rout of Hilliard Bradley for the program's first boys basketball state title since the school opened in 1958. The Vikings finished 24-3, winning their final 10 games.

The community celebrated that championship run for weeks. Sharonville Mayor Kevin Hardman proclaimed April 14 as "Princeton High School Boys Basketball Day," and Hamilton County Commissioners honored the team on April 9.

Gill's destination is brand new. Masters Academy International opens in September 2026 on an $83 million, 82-acre campus. The school's boys basketball program will compete in the Nike EYBL travel league and play in the Springfield HoopHall Classic in January, according to the Boston Globe. Annual boarding tuition runs $79,500.

No reason for the transfer was given publicly. Wyant did not address what prompted the move, focusing instead on gratitude for Gill's contributions.

The Vikings should still return talent. Kam Mercer, a rising junior who committed to Cincinnati basketball in May, is expected to anchor the backcourt as Princeton defends its title. But replacing a 17.7-point scorer who drew a dozen Division I offers will test the program's depth.

Princeton's 2026-27 schedule has not been released.