Five Takeaways: Choctaw vs. Putnam City
In an up and down battle between two potential 6A bracket busters, Putnam City defeated Choctaw 81-74 in overtime. It was a game of runs due to the solid guard play all around. The Pirates came away with the victory due to added defensive pressure and the relentless mindset of attacking the rim on offense. Here are five takeaways from this competitive 6A matchup.
PCO put pressure on the rim and refs
Putnam City got out to a slow start but picked it up somewhat in the second quarter due to their press. They still seemed out of wack on offense though. They trailed by 5 at halftime but they came out with the determination to do what they do best. Put pressure on the rim which means drive, drive, and drive some more.
In the second half and overtime, PCO lived in the painted area and on the free throw line. Refereeing PCO can be difficult because their might be contact on every play the way the Pirates attack the paint which is the way they like it.
The guard trio of 2018 Juwan Bell, Alfred Alkannama, and 2019 Tre Carolina could not be denied in the second half. The Pirates defense started to pick up which led to deflections. Once in transition there was no way Choctaw could stay in front without fouling.
If allowed to play their style, PCO could be a tough out for most 6A opponents.
Brock Schreiner just finds a way
Choctaw got off to a strong start due to the shooting of 2018 Trey Black and physical defense. When the pace began to pick up for the Yellow Jackets turnovers started to become more prevalent. When PCO started making a run in the second quarter, Schreiner decided to introduce himself with a big three to settle things down a bit.
He was one of the few players for Choctaw who can play that fast hectic type of style. The physical senior guard just finds a way to adapt to the game and make a play. Many times Schreiner would enter a mess in the paint where the ball had come loose and he appears out of the bodies with the ball and scores a layup.
The 5’11 guard scored in almost every way possible tonight.
Schreiner just makes winning plays and finds a way to put his imprint on the game.
Trey Black came ready to play
The senior sharp shooter came ready to play tonight and it showed. He was moving at a quicker pace than everyone on the floor. He got some open looks which got him going. What surprised me the most was his ability to escape from ball pressure with pure speed. If a PCO defender gave Black any type of angle he was gone to the rim.
Choctaw is a savvy veteran team which makes them tough to break mentally with pressure or adversity.
PCO staying true to their seniors
Senior Night is always a bittersweet occasion but it can be fun for the seniors who do not get to play as much as others. The universal tradition of Senior Night is that seniors who don’t get to play or have not started get the opportunity.
However there is no rule requiring coaches to play that group for a certain amounts of minutes starting off. I have seen coaches play their irregular group of senior starters for literally seconds then subbing in their better players.
Putnam City stayed true to the seniors and let them play through the adversity of playing a tough Choctaw team.
Both teams could be bracket busters in 6A
Both PCO and Choctaw play extremely hard and physical style of basketball. Choctaw beats you with savvy and shot-making. Putnam City relies on pressure on offense and defense. PCO will pull out every press in the playbook to create pressure. Both these teams will be tough to prepare for after just one of study. Guard play will also decide both of these teams fates.
If Tre Carolina can get on a shooting streak then PCO becomes that more dangerous. If Brock Schreiner can step up even more than he has then the Yellow Jackets become a sleeper to eliminate a big school.