Putnam County played in Warner Robins in the Screamin’ Devils holiday tournament last week, where the War Eagles (8-2, 2-0) went 1-1 against Southeast Bulloch and Westside (Macon).
Putnam opened with an 86-47 win over Southeast Bulloch after leading the Yellow Jackets 50-20 at the half. They also shot the 3-pointer well and totaled 41 percent (12-of-41) from beyond the arc.
Eren Banks led in scoring with 19 points. He also had four rebounds, three assists, five steals and one block. Keyni Crawford added 15 points, five boards, six assists, two steals and two blocks. Landon Bonner also scored 13 points, with five rebounds and three steals.
The War Eagles then faced a tough Westside squad from Class AAAA. The Seminoles were able to knock off Putnam 76-74 in overtime, snapping their three-game winning streak.
Westside jumped out to a 20-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. However, the trio of Banks, Crawford, and Bonner took over the game in the second period. The War Eagles outscored the Seminoles 23-13 and the contest was tied 33-33 heading into the half.
Putnam’s ability to pressure Westside on in-bounds led to several turnovers in the second quarter. The War Eagles’ defense was able to force 25 overall takeaways against the Seminoles. The second half between both teams remained evenly matched as the game ended 65-65.
As it went down the wire, Westside was able to pull away for the win. The Seminoles had four players score double digits, with another adding nine points in the win.
Meanwhile, Banks again led the War Eagles in scoring, totaling 23 points with eight rebounds, two assists and five steals. Bonner added 17 points and grabbed eight boards. Crawford totaled 15 points.
Turnovers and the inability to shoot consistently from beyond the arc led to Putnam’s demise Wednesday afternoon. The War Eagles committed 20 turnovers against Westside in the loss. They also shot poorly from the 3-point line, totaling a season-low eight percent (2-of- 24).
Banks is Putnam’s leading scorer through the first 10 games. The Georgia Southern signee is averaging 20.4 points per contest, but also 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 steals. The War Eagles also have Bonner (17.1 ppg) and Crawford (13.0 ppg) having productive seasons as well.
Putnam County will rely on these key guys down the stretch in the last half of its 2022-23 schedule. The War Eagles have a non-region game against Social Circle on Dec. 31, in the Big South Showcase. They continue Region 4-AA play on Jan. 3, against Westside (Augusta).