Team Preview: Putnam City West (6A)

<p>Despite losing one of the best senior classes in the state, coach Lenny Bert and the Putnam City West Patriots are among the early contenders for the 6A title.</p> [caption id="attachment_1085293" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Tobias-Roland-I.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1085293" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Tobias-Roland-I-300x190.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="190" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="773474" first="Tobias" last="Roland Jr"]. (Joshua Cleary/Prep Hoops)[/caption] <p>The reunification of P.C. West and [player_tooltip player_id="773474" first="Tobias" last="Roland Jr"]., who played at West as a freshman before transferring to the rival P.C. North, will undoubtedly be a significant factor in the Patriots’ success. Bert said he will be one of the best players in the state this season.</p> <p>"Tobias, right now, to me it’s not a weird dynamic, because he played here a year," Bert said, "I mean, he’s the hardest worker in the gym, and he’s vocal, he talks, he does all of things. . . to me, it’s an easier game when you have somebody like that coming in."</p> <p>Roland, a touted Division-I prospect, has leadership skills to go with his work ethic, too.</p> <p>"[Tobias] is a great person," Bert said. "He’s the first one in the gym. When you have guys like that, it’s easy to follow him.</p> <p>"And he’s talented," Bert added.</p> [caption id="attachment_1085295" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Daylon-Andrews.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1085295" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Daylon-Andrews-300x187.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="187" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="938857" first="Daylon" last="Andrews"] (Joshua Cleary/Prep Hoops).[/caption] <p>Sharing the spotlight with Roland Jr. will be the impressive [player_tooltip player_id="938857" first="Daylon" last="Andrews"], a fellow senior and the Patriots’ leading returning scorer. The sharpshooting point guard had memorable performances in the postseason in 2020, including a 31-point night to help the Patriots outlast top-ranked Southmoore.</p> <p>"[Daylon] really had a big playoffs," Bert said. "He’s just getting better and better, he’s increased his athletic ability. A lot of people know him as a shooter, but now he’s attacking the rim a lot better.</p> <p>"One thing that I love is that he’s probably our best defender right now," Bert continued.</p> <p>Another important shooting presence to the Patriots’ rotation is Jacob Blount.</p> <p>"I think he’s probably one of the best shooters," Bert said. "I mean, he gets it off quick, and he goes right with the ability of Tobias and Daylon."</p> [caption id="attachment_1085296" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Boomer-Barnes-Jordan-Warrior.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1085296" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Boomer-Barnes-Jordan-Warrior-300x203.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="203" /></a> Boomer Barnes (left) and Jordan Warrior (Joshua Cleary/Prep Hoops).[/caption] <p>A pair of junior footballers, [player_tooltip player_id="964490" first="Elijah" last="James"] and [player_tooltip player_id="955396" first="Corey" last="Gordon"], will also be significant contributors, Bert said. James has started since his freshman season, while Gordon played after sitting due to transfer restrictions late in his sophomore season.</p> <p>"Both of them guys are talented," Bert said, "so they’re going to bring something."</p> <p>Gordon, Bert said, is among the most talented athletes in the state, standing about 6-foot-4-inches with great finishing skills at the rim. James, meanwhile, is a smooth two-way guard who can distribute the ball efficiently and attack the rim.</p> <p>In the paint, senior Boomer Barnes is helping P.C. West get back to its old style-of-play at the five, Bert said.</p> <p>"When [Boomer] is moving, active, we’re a different team," Bert said. "He’s gonna get better and better. . . the iso moves that he has available for him."</p> <p>A new addition is junior transfer [player_tooltip player_id="955398" first="Payton" last="Ackerman"], a shifty point guard with long-range shooting capabilities.</p> <p>"He can shoot the ball, getting stronger with the handle," Bert said, "and he’s doing some good things defensively for us."</p> [caption id="attachment_1085297" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Elijah-James.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1085297" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Elijah-James-300x182.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="182" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="964490" first="Elijah" last="James"] (Joshua Cleary/Prep Hoops).[/caption] <p>Freshman Jordan Warrior, the younger brother of 2020 graduate [player_tooltip player_id="931198" first="MJ" last="Warrior"], is an important new piece to the Patriots’ attack.</p> <p>"[Jordan] is a true point guard," Bert said. "He understands the game, he understands spacing. . . he hasn’t turned the ball over much during scrimmage season."</p> <p>Another young, talented guard, [player_tooltip player_id="1068573" first="O’rian" last="Scales"], has shown improvements to his already crafty game, Bert said.</p> <p>"We’re gonna have a deep rotation," Bert said.</p> <p>Bert cited team chemistry and health as important factors for P.C. West, as well as players stepping into bigger roles.</p> <p>"It’s a lot of new dynamics to what we do," Bert said, "like for [Daylon}. . . now, he’s the first or second option."</p> <p>Bert also said that this year’s P.C. West will resemble teams he coached from 2014 and 2015, and Barnes’s interior presence will play a big part of that.</p> <p>"Last year, it was kind of a blessing and a curse with most teams focused on one player," Bert said, "now, it’s like ’what do we stop’ with all of these moving parts."</p>