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New Player

Sophomore Mamadou Diarra  recently transferred to Putnam Science Academy.  The 6-foot, 8-inch sophomore is expected to begin playing for the Mustangs shortly. Photo courtesy of Mehmet Eygoren.

 

 

 

 

By Ron P. Coderre

Jan. 10 Believe Prep from Rock Hill, S.C., marched into the tiny Putnam Science Academy gym ranked number 12 in the nation.  Following 32 minutes of intense action, Believe walked off the floor 105-77, victims of Mustang basketball.

One of the Believe standouts was Mamadou Diarra, who must have liked what he saw in the Mustangs way of play because last week Diarra showed up on the steps of the Maple St. campus. He’s now a member in good standing of the 17-2, number 4 ranked in the nation Putnam Science Academy Mustangs.  He’s gone from wearing the Believe blue to proudly displaying the Scientists black and red. 

Diarra, who hails from Queens, N.Y., is a young man, only a 16-year-old sophomore, who already has drawn interest from a number of NCAA Division I Major colleges.  The 6-foot, 8-inch Diarra is currently practicing with the Scientists and should be on the court in action shortly, according to reports from the coaching staff.  PSA coach Tom Espinosa expects Diarra to be around for the remainder of the season and all of next year.  There’s a possibility, depending on how he develops as a player, that he could even spend a postgraduate year in Putnam.

“We’re planning to take it kind of slowly with Diarra.  I’m not sure how much playing time he’ll get initially as it all depends on how quickly he picks up our offensive and defensive schemes,” said Espinosa.

Putnam Science Academy, currently sporting an impressive 17-2 record following a solid 87-65 victory over McDuffie School, has moved up in the prep rankings to number 4 in the country with an eye on the National Prep Championships scheduled for Albertus Magnus College in New Haven in March.

“Diarra is potentially a high Major kid.  We’re hoping he can transition into our style of play and mesh with our players in a timely fashion,” said Espinosa.

According to Espinosa, schools that have shown interest in Diarra include Providence College, Boston College and St. Joseph’s of Loretto, Penn., among others.

Whether Diarra can help the Mustangs this season remains to be seen.  However, his presence on the court does bode well for the Scientists in the future as they continue to prove they are a legitimate prep power.

 

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