Patriots down Yellowjackets; continue claim as one of 6A’s best

<p><em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em></p> <p>With the upcoming midseason tournament this weekend, we’ll be past the halfway mark of the high school season. With that the standings have started to shake out and contenders have emerged. Cheifly among them are the balanced Putnam City West Patriots. </p> <p>After missing the State Tournament for the first time since 2012, the Patriots are now firmly among the favorites to make it to Norman in March. Their win over Choctaw was more proof of their balanced attack. Leading scorer on the year [player_tooltip player_id="1068573" first="O’rian" last="Scales"] was held in check, but [player_tooltip player_id="1295731" first="Jordan" last="Warrior"] continued his good play from their Coke Classic victory in Arkansas last weekend. The savvy sophomore was the engine for the Patriots in the halfcourt, scoring for himself and setting up teammates. Adding to what makes the Patriots a complete team is the football playing duo of senior guards Cory Gordon and [player_tooltip player_id="964490" first="Elijah" last="James"]. Gordon, especially as one of the top pure athletes in the state, and James play bigger than their size and increase the rebounding, slashing and defensive playmaking output for their team. </p> <p>Along with school district rival Putnam City, Putnam City West will host the Putnam City Invitational this weekend. The field includes fellow top 10 Class 6A teams, Edmond North and Moore. Choctaw’s young core will look to bounce back in the loaded McGuinness Classic. They’ll open the tournament with a strong test against current Class 5A top squad, Del City. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Prospects to know:</strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1295731" first="Jordan" last="Warrior"], 6’0 Guard, Class of 2024, Putnam City West</strong></p> <p>The sophomore has always had an advanced skilled based game, with crafty and strong dribble moves. Going against his AAU teammate Ja’mon Valentine, Warrior seemed to play with an extra pep in his step, especially in attacking off the dribble. Older brother MJ Warrior was also a standout for the Patriots and now is a starter for Cameron University at Lawton. The elder Warrior brother was quick and with a strong frame, who was at his best as a scorer and allowed to attack.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1295731" first="Jordan" last="Warrior"] shares a similarly strong frame to his older brother, but doesn’t have the same quick first step off the dribble. But that does not limit Warrior, as he plays with outstanding pace and control. He used hesitation and other subtle moves to his advantage when attacking the rim, while keeping good court awareness to find open teammates when the defense focused on him. Similar to his brother, Warrior should have a future as a college basketball player. </p> <p><strong>Carlsheon Young, 6’3 Guard, Class of 2025, Putnam City West</strong></p> <p>In regards to college basketball potential, Young is the top prospect for the Patriots. He’s already a rangy athlete, that at first glance looks comparable to former Patriots standout Tyson Jolly, who is wrapping up a successful college career as a double digit scorer for Iona. After missing early in the season, Young is in the starting lineup for West and does not look one bit out of place. He came alive in the second half, showing great defensive instincts with his hands and feet when he forced a five second count. Then Young teased big time upside when he grabbed a defensive board, and took it coast to coast for an impressive layup. Head coach Lenny Bert has made good use of similar long and athletic guards in his time at West, and Young looks like he’ll continue that tradition. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Boomer Barnes, 6’7 Forward, Class of 2022, Putnam City West</strong></p> <p>West is known for their guard play but the senior forward provides valuable size around the rim. He plays with a strong motor, and is active as a rim protector and rebounder. Foul trouble limited his minutes on the night, but he plays a key role for Patriots and should be monitored by regional small colleges looking for additional post depth. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Ja’mon Valentine, 6’3 Guard, Class of 2024, Choctaw</strong></p> <p>After a slow start, Valentine ended the opening frame with a flurry of threes, and showed prolific scoring potential throughout the game. The sophomore excels when given the opportunity to attack as a score first option. His combination of size, athleticism and craftiness allows him to either finish at the rim, or pull out a smooth floater. Along with the ability to attack off the bounce, he regularly nailed pull up three pointers and spot up opportunities. </p> <p>An area of improvement for Valentine will be game management. Early on he was caught trying to do too much with the ball which led to some issues against an aggressive Patriots defense. Long term, improved defense will also be needed. As he does have the raw athletic ability and size to be a very productive two way weapon of the Yellowjackets. Still, Valentine profiles as a 20+ scorer already as a sophomore and will be among the top scorers in the 405 this far. He claims a recent offer from SMU. </p>