The Patriot Pioneers Boys varsity basketball team earned a statement win over their rival the Battlefield Bobcats in a highly anticipated matchup. Patriot won 78-59 on Friday, Jan. 27 as they continued their undefeated district record.
Both student sections were seas of blue as they supported the Morgan’s Message organization to promote student-athlete mental health. It’s extremely rare to see Patriot and Battlefield come together, especially at sporting events, but for this particular movement, both Pioneers and Bobcats decided to join hands.
Chloe Annibell (‘24), an ambassador of Morgan’s Message at Patriot High School, spoke to the crowd before the game started about the importance of student-athlete mental health. In an interview after the game, Annibell said, “I wasn’t surprised by the great turnout from both schools. They are both very supportive of the club and what it stands for.”
However, the unity between each student section quickly ended as the ball tipped off and they returned to their normal rivalry antics, trash talking back and forth at each other with their chants.
Disaster struck early for the Pioneers as their Center, Isaiah Vick (‘24), went up for a rebound but fell down awkwardly and hurt his ankle to start off the first quarter. The Patriot student section went silent as they hoped for a minor injury. However, Dezmond Hopkins (‘24) brought back some life to the team with a deep three well beyond the arc and the next possession made a mid-range fadeaway to kickstart the Pioneers to an early 13-3 lead.
Shortly after, Vick came back from the training room and shifted back into form quickly. He scored 10 points in the first quarter, going 4-4 on his shots, including an and-one fadeaway and a three pointer. Although he was putting up numbers on offense, Vick still was visibly in pain as he struggled to sprint back on defense multiple times, favoring his ankle. Patriot led 27-11 after the first quarter and looked energized as they headed into the second.
The second quarter kicked off with a three from Teyvien Barbour (‘24) in the corner with an assist from Carter Crumity (‘25). Barbour was a former First Team All-Region player last year at Osbourn High School and transferred to Patriot this summer. He committed to Harvard this summer and was seen as a key addition after the loss of Nasir Coleman (‘23), Jay Randall (‘23), and Kaden Bates (‘23).
Battlefield however, wasn’t phased as a couple of possessions later, Patrick Kelly (‘25) stole the ball from Isaiah Vick and passed it up the court to Kam Franklin (‘25) for an emphatic dunk. Battlefield’s student section roared as they hoped for the start of a comeback. Despite the entertainment value of the dunk, Patriot still maintained their lead throughout the second as it finished 44-25.
During halftime, Patriot’s Dance, Cheerleading, and Step team put on beautiful performances while showcasing their talents. The Dance and Cheerleading team both wore Morgan’s Message attire during their routine in support of the cause.
The third and fourth quarter were relatively quiet as the Pioneers continued to add onto the deficit. Battlefield fans began to leave early with around five minutes left in the game.
Teyvien Barbour, Dezmond Hopkins, and Ryan Keenan specifically stood out during the game. Barbour finished with 22 points while Hopkins followed behind with 13. Keenan in particular made his mark on both sides of the court as he had 10 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds, and 6 steals.
Patriot moved to 10-0 in district play that game and finished as the district champion after winning the district playoffs. They have been labeled as the best 6A basketball team so far this year in multiple site’s power rankings as they continue their championship hopes.
The Pioneers played the James Madison Warhawks on Feb. 27th and won 55-42 in the first round of states. They will play Oscar Smith on Mar. 1st continuing their playoff run.
