Warner Robins boys opening up the rotations early in the season as they search for regular contributors

Warner Robins put 13 players on the floor in their victory against Westside-Macon, something they’re not used to.

Head coach Jamaal Garman played his starters heavy minutes the last couple of years with Gabe Jacobs and Trey Bradley, and Cam Perkins and Jay Johnson before them.

But, as has been the storyline over the summer, the Demons don’t have a solidified top dog this year.

Senior Gavyn Williams and junior Tyler Harris are currently in competition for that spot but they both provide different skillsets. Williams is more of a shooter and ball handler while Harris provides length and size to the defense.

“Gavyn right now is starting to inch ahead a little bit. Tyler’s right there too,” Garman said. “Today we saw when Tyler came out of the game our defensive game plan is a whole lot different. Just like our last game we lost when Gavyn was in foul trouble, our offensive game was a little bit different. So we need both of those guys at the same time right now, but right now Gavyn is inching just a tad bit ahead of Tyler in that leadership position.”

Aside from those two there’s not many proven players. Rykeem Ashley and Chandler Dyson played plenty last year, but there are nine players new to the varsity level.

Warner Robins lost eight seniors last year, and at least six of those started at some point. They only have two seniors this year, so they’re searching for players who can regularly contribute when the going gets tough.

“They’re a young bunch,” Garman said. “I only got one varsity guy that has experience last year with a lot of playing time, that’s Tyler…So to have all these guys that are getting varsity experience on the fly basically, it’s gonna help us out in the long run.”

Junior Prince Ragin is filling in a point guard role, similar to the spot Amauri Stalnaker filled last year. Ragin can handle the ball and shoot as well, though he’s more comfortable taking a step in like he did on his two jumpers in the third quarter.

Sophomore Kam Schmitz and junior Tristan Warren are the two big names as far as the up-and-coming players go.

Warren had a big day against Westside, leading the Demons with 12 points, three rebounds and two steals in their victory. That was enough to earn Player of the Game.

Last year both Schmitz and Warren were off-ball, complimentary pieces that tried to space the floor and play sound defense.

Against Westside, Warren played a more aggressive on-ball role taking straight line drives to the rim for a score or dump off. Schmitz played more passive, maintaining a 3-and-D role as he continues to get his feet wet in varsity play.

There were other new faces, too, as sophomore wide receiver X’Zavier and junior quarterback Ellison Dantes joined Dyson after the end of football season. Freshmen La’King Searcy and Darius Shine Jr. got some run throughout the game, too.

If people didn’t know sophomore Edmund Dantes yet, his electric putback stuff in the fourth quarter against the Seminoles put him on the radar as a lengthy wing at 6-foot-4.

It’s unlikely Warner Robins will maintain such a large rotation of players, and Garman may eventually have to shave minutes off as players separate themselves and the games begin to matter come region time.

As of now, however, Garman likes everything he’s seen on the floor.

“I’m gonna be honest man, all of them,” Garman said on who he anticipates to regularly contribute. “[We] got 13 guys, all 13 bring something different to the game. I just have to know when to use that something that they bring…so it’ll make the puzzle look good when it’s finally together. But I love all 13 of my guys.”

“I tell them every day in practice that each brings something different to the table and when it all gets together, it’s a nice little meal so to say.”