With a mix of returnees and newcomers, Western Heights has sprinted out to a 2-0 start with wins over 3A Star Spencer and 6A Yukon.
Third-year Jets head coach Jonathan Bluitt is pleased with his squad early in the season
“These young men have worked very, very hard, not just from the start of the season but from offseason,” Bluitt said via phone. “They’ve really embodied the the culture that we’re trying to create at Western Heights throughout athletics and throughout the district as well.”
Bluitt said his team’s depth and being coachable is important.
“We have the ability to play literally 11 to 12 guys and we can go with different lineups. We can go with different variations of players with skill sets and physicality.”
JET VETERANS
Among the returning players is Bluitt’s son, Cruz. The younger Bluitt is a senior guard and was third-team all-district and averaged roughly 13 points a contest as a junior.
Also returning is senior point guard and captain Nick Henderson. The senior averaged 11 points a game a season ago and was all-district honorable mention.
Senior Tristan Young has started out the season by averaging 11 points a contest.
“He has athleticism, experience and toughness,” Bluitt said of the forward. “He’s kind of like our glue guy defensively. He does all the dirty stuff. He’s just really a hard-nosed kid.”
JET NEWCOMERS
Bluitt also had some players transfer to “The Heights.”
Kyree Lartey, a senior transfer from Classen S.A.S., Bluitt said Lartey is a “good defensive player and scrappy on the offensive end.”
“He’s been a big addition because he brings a lot of experience and toughness.”
Coming from Mustang are twin brothers Anthony and Austin Gum. Bluitt called the juniors the team’s “grit guys.”
“They do all the dirty stuff and very skilled, but they have the physicality of a college guys,” Bluitt said. “They bring a unique toughness to our team and also some accountability.”
Another newcomer from Mustang is Tang Kueth. Bluitt said the junior forward has some length at 6-foot-3.
“He has the ability to play defense with his length and cause havoc in the passing lanes on the weak side on our defensive schemes.”
Sophomore Darrion Black is another transfer from neighboring Mustang.
“He’s like a spring weed,” Bluitt said of Black who is nearly 6-foot-8. “He’s just continuing to grow and blossom into a heck of a player.”
Bluitt said Black’s height can be a defensive weapon, changing shots in the paint.
Junior Zion Castaneda makes the move from Mustang as well.
“He’s really like our offensive spark plug,” Bluitt said of the guard. “He just has a knack of finding the basketball and finding places to score the basketball from catch-and-shoot 3s to putting the ball on the floor.
“He just has a unique way of putting the ball in the basket.”
GETTING THE PLAYERS TO MESH
With so much movement in high school sports today, Bluitt agreed it was a challenge to build team chemistry.
He said his coaches and players spend a lot of time together and bonding with each other. Bluitt also said practice time is key.
“Our kids are all competitive and they all want to have an opportunity to make a difference in a culture that’s up and coming.”
THE MOVE TO 4A
A change this season is the school’s move to Class 4A in basketball. Unlike 6A and 5A, 4A doesn’t have district play in the regular season but rather to start the postseason.
Bluitt said it will be a challenge to not play home-and-home games against 4A teams in a district format. He said the team was able to get in some tournaments where they can compete against 4A teams.
“We’ll get the opportunity to see where we match up here throughout the course of the season in some of these tournaments. (We can) see where we line up with them.”
CULTURE CHANGE
Bluitt said while the school district has dealt with bad publicity in the past, the school culture is on the upswing.
“We do have a lot of bright young men and ladies and students and teachers at our school in our district who really, really love and care for each other and really care for the development of these young people,” Bluitt said.
He said the administration and support have also been key as well.
NOV. 20: WESTERN HEIGHTS 66, STAR SPENCER 49
SPENCER — The Jets had three players in double figures in the opening win.
Castaneda scored five points with three treys in the win. Henderson added 11 points, including five points in the fourth quarter.
Young also scored nine points. Lartey followed with eight points and Austin Gum had seven points.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Spencer (0-1) | 10 | 17 | 12 | 10 | 49 |
| Western Heights (1-0) | 7 | 22 | 21 | 16 | 66 |
WESTERN HEIGHTS – Castaneda 15, Henderson 11, Young 11, Austin Gum 7, Lartey 6, Black 6, Anthony Gum 4, Bluitt 2, Kueth 2.
NOV. 21: WESTERN HEIGHTS 60, YUKON 51
YUKON — Castaneda dropped 25 points on the 6A Millers with five 3-pointers.
Castaneda drilled three treys in the first quarter as the Jets opened up a 10-point lead.
Henderson followed with nine points. Young added eight points, four in the fourth quarter to help the Jets pull away. Cruz Bluitt scored five of his seven points in the quarter.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Heights (2-0) | 20 | 6 | 11 | 23 | 60 |
| Yukon (0-2) | 10 | 11 | 12 | 18 | 51 |
YUKON – Newman 11, #0 5, Teer 5, Penner 5, Lopez 4, Curnutt 3, #20 3, King 2.
UP NEXT
The Jets host Dove Science Academy (OKC) on Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
DSA has a win over the Wellston JV and losses to Santa Fe South Pathways and Dove Science (Tulsa).
West Metro Sports 