#TerryTalks Catching Up With The Midfield Patriots

In the final 2021-2022 rankings, the Midfield Patriots were ranked #1 in Class 2A. They were highly favored to win it all when headed into the playoffs, but the highly favored Patriots fell short 52-55 in the Elite 8 to the eventual state champions Section HS.   I caught up with head coach Courtney Jones who is still wrestling with the defeat in the Elite 8 but did not waste any time getting back up and starting the journey to make it to next year’s Final Four. I asked Coach Jones what he was looking for in the month of June from his team, and this is how he summed up what he was looking for:   "Get better each day! We will be young but still experienced, and we must be in a state of learning and perfecting our adjusted style of play, which will be the key this summer for our program."   As Coach Jones stated, his team is young, but many saw playing time last year and will need to step up and play huge for the Patriots as I am sure they will have a tough schedule coming out of the gate in November.   Let’s look at some of the Patriots that will be looked upon to be key pieces to the team looking to make a run to the Final Four...   <blockquote> Key Returning Players: </blockquote>   Shannon Jones (5’11/PG/2023) Instagram: Glee.shannon Twitter: @3gleeshannon   Even though the Patriots are young, when Shannon steps onto the court in the winter, he will be a 4-year starter that brings a lot of experience to the court. He is an athletic PG with a good balance between facilitating and scoring. He has a winning mentality that the coaching staff hopes the younger players can learn from and embrace. He is court savvy and plays with a high IQ at the high school level. It will be safe to say that the Patriots will go as Shannon goes, and June will be a time to see if Shannon can carry the team.   Dalvin Dawson (5’11/G/2023) Instagram: dj_dawson316 Twitter: @Dalvin15Dawson   With the departure of [player_tooltip player_id="1378843" first="Anthony" last="Johnson"], went a great source of production for the Patriots. The coaching staff will be looking at Dalvin to provide some of the production they counted on from Anthony last year. Dalvin will bring a level of toughness on both ends of the court, as he is a leader that leads more with his work ethic than his talk. He will need to function as a triple threat player that contributes as a shooter, passer, and driver.   Armonie Franklin (5’8/G/2025) Instagram: N/A Twitter: N/A   Armonie is young but is a reliable source of handling the rock, and he can score the rock. He shoots it well from the perimeter and will be another player that will be looked upon to replace some of the production that [player_tooltip player_id="1378843" first="Anthony" last="Johnson"] provided. Look for Armonie to get some valuable time in June as he finds his way into a larger Patriots role.   <blockquote> Players Ready To Make A Difference: </blockquote>   DeArius Hill (5’11/G/2023) Instagram: N/A Twitter: N/A   DeArius is in a position to have a huge senior year and be a difference-maker for the Patriots. With [player_tooltip player_id="1378843" first="Anthony" last="Johnson"] being the number one option night in and night out last season, other talented scorers had to take a step back when it came to points production. DeArius can score the rock, and the stage is set for him to show just how vast his toolbox is. Keep an eye on D during the June playdates.   <blockquote> Here’s Where You Can Catch The Patriots In June: </blockquote>   June 4: Fairfield HS June 6: Pinson Valley HS June 11: Midfield HS June 14: Bevill St CC June 17-18: AHSAA Event June 20: Wallace St CC June 25: Tarrant HS   <blockquote> Follow The Patriots: </blockquote>   Instagram: midfieldhoops Twitter: @midfieldhoops