Five takeaways on PC West at Thanksgiving HoopsFest
The game between PC West and Arlington Lamar looked like a blowout after one-quarter of play. PC West came out with all cylinders firing and led by 10 after one quarter of play. After the first quarter of play though, the Patriots struggled to shoot the ball well the rest of the game. This was in part to better defense being played by Arlington but even when open PC West struggled to hit a shot. Most of the Patriots points came from the free throw line in the second half.
The later it got in the game, the more the Patriots seemed to miss their shots. Despite a brief moment when Tobias Roland scored a couple of buckets in a row late in the fourth quarter, PC West did not shoot the ball well. They ran their offense smoothly and got a lot of open shots but they could not hit them. They missed contested layups that could have tied the game late and just seemed to lack some leadership, which should be expected with their youth. Throughout the game though, the Patriots played tough defense and forced the other team to play well offensively. PC West fell to Arlington Lamar in a tightly contested game 63-56.
Five Takeaways
The hype is Real with Tobias Roland
Roland played well defensively the whole game and started hitting shots in the second half when PC West was struggling. In the second half, Roland was the bright spot of a struggling PC West team. Roland finished well at the rim even with contact. Roland did a good job stepping up when his team needed and in the absence of Rondel Walker. Roland has good size and athleticism to match. Roland is from the 2021 class and showed he can compete against the level of the upperclassmen he will play against. Keep a close watch on Roland for many years to come.
Hot Start
PC West played lights out in the first quarter and even for most of the first half. They shot the ball well, led by Shelby Sampleton, and played tough defense with a full court press for much of the first half. They led by 10 after one and lead by 2 at the half. Sampleton showed good shooting form and had deep range. The entire PC West team went cold in the second half and struggled to score as they only scored 20 points in the second half.
Young and Talented
PC West is young, but do not let the fact that they are young though fool you, they are a good team. If the Patriots could have found their shooting stroke in the second half they would have run away with this game. But in a tough game where they could not shoot it well, the Patriots lacked some leadership late in the game that could have helped them finish the game. This game will help a young PC West team grow and mature as the season continues.
Defense is Key
PC West played good defense throughout the game. Their defense kept them in the game in the second half when they struggled to shoot the ball well. The Patriots forced turnovers throughout the day with their full court press and got some easy transition buckets as they struggled to shoot the ball.
MJ Warrior a Bright Spot
Warrior was fabulous for PC West on Friday getting the rack with a tight dribble and finishing even around traffic. When buckets were hard to come by Warrior did an excellent job of creating for himself and others. Warrior is a sparky, 5’11 Point Guard that will be better known at the end of the season. He had a big summer and got off to a good start with PC West on Friday in Dallas.
As young as the Patriots are they have potential to be a lot better with the experience they will gain throughout the season. PC West will also get better when Rondel Walker is back from a lingering ankle injury. Walker is only a sophomore, but he will make a significant impact on this Patriots team when he is healthy.
PC West lost a close game in which they could not shoot the ball well. They played well defensively, and their youth showed strong throughout the night. In the end, they could not finish the game that they led by double-digits in the first half. Don’t expect them to shoot this poorly again.