New Birth Warriors Off to a Solid Start

I finally got a chance to get out and see Scott Bradley’s 6th grade New Birth Warriors. Participating in the COBBA Holiday Tournament at the Hoop; Bradley’s team (6-1) finished the day at 2-0, with convincing wins over the Ohio Valley Minors (45-24) and the Canal Winchester Indians (49-36). In the opening game, the Warriors were led by Jordan Mitchell's 11 points, and in the second game, Ty Wiley finished with a game-high 20 points. Next up for New Birth is the championship game versus the Groveport Red Devils on Friday. I had a chance to catch a quick glance at the Red Devils and noted the fact they have good size in the front court.

As is customary for Scott Bradley-coached teams, the 2010/2011 edition of the Warriors frustrate their opponents with extreme pressure, both full and half court. The 6-0 Warriors’ only loss this season came at the hands of Olentangy Orange, who squeaked out a 6-point victory. According to Bradley, this team is his youngest in the program’s storied history, as only 3 players are in the 6th grade. The majority of his 13-player team is made up of 4th and 5th graders. Because his team is so young, Bradley recognizes they will take their lumps, but the team will be well positioned for the next couple of years.

So far this young season, a few kids have stepped forward to lead this team. The top guys so far are: Jordan Mitchell, a 4th grader from Blacklick; Ty Wiley, a 5th grader from Fairmont Elementary school, and Paul “PJ” Jones, a 5th grader from Grove City. Jones returns for a second year for the Warriors. The rest of the New Birth roster is below:

New Birth Roster:

Randy Overson-Columbus (5th)
Christian Carter-Worthington (6th)
Ty Wiley-Columbus (5th)
Jejuan Weatherspoon-Whitehall (5th)
Noah Berry-Columbus (5th)
Paul “PJ” Jones-Grove City (5th)
Robert Littlejohn-(6th)
Jaedyn Carter-Worthington (5th)
Alvin Byrd-Hamilton Twp (4th)
Randy Sills-Reynoldsburg (4th)
Nathan Hawkins-Zanesville (6th)
Jordan Mitchell-Blacklick (4th)
Dominique Long-Westerville (5th)