The Putnam County boys’ basketball team is off to a successful 4-0 start to the 2024-25 season.
The War Eagles began the regular season on Nov. 12 at Jones County and won 64-49. They’ve since defeated Groves, Monroe (Albany), and the Utopian Academy of the Arts. After starting the year unranked, the team is currently No. 3 overall in Class A Division I, per Kyle Sandy of SandysSpiel.com.
Much of Putnam County’s success has come from the play of sophomore Jeremy Banks. Before the season, head coach LaPatrick Marshall expressed confidence Banks would help the team.
“We talked a lot about this. I felt like Jeremy got his feet wet last year, and coming from a basketball family, he has a lot I think he wants to live up to,” Marshall said. “So, he’s been working in the gym. It’s now paying dividends, and he’s been out there doing his thing.”
Banks had 21 points, two rebounds, three assists, and three steals in the opener at Jones County. Junior J’mari Greene also was productive, totaling 21 points with two rebounds and assists.
Greene struggled and was in foul trouble, so Banks stepped up and helped lead the War Eagles to the win.
“He knows now that he’s going to be one of those guys that we’re going to go to, especially with his 3-point shot,” Marshall added of Banks. “He’s been in the gym making 200, almost 300 shots on a daily basis. So, his work ethic and knowing the team needs him to play a role, he’s accepted that.” Greene and fellow juniors Zay Hargrove and Taumaud Woodson have also been bright spots for Putnam. The three of them and Banks led the War Eagles in scoring in an 18-point win over Groves.
Meanwhile, senior Jaylin Harper scored a team-high 19 points against Monroe. Putnam got 11 points from Greene, and sophomore Koleman Foster scored nine against the Golden Tornadoes.
Marshall feels his team has depth, and any player can step up to lead in scoring on any night. He also has seen his team respond well to a challenging slate in its first week. He hopes this tough early schedule helps his team settle into Class A Division I Region 4 play in less than two months.
“It’s been fun. I’ve been telling the guys since summer and our fall league that I thought we had a chance to be pretty good, so I made our schedule tough because I’ve got a lot of confidence in them,” he said. “They’ve just stepped up to the challenge, so we compete at practice every day.”
Putnam will play rival Morgan County on Thursday in Madison, followed by a game against Hancock Central on Saturday. The War Eagles then return to action on Nov. 29, hosting Greene County.
Marshall wants his group dialed over the next few weeks, with more big games on the schedule.
“The main thing is just staying focused and not getting too big because of these rival games,” he said.