Jalen Warren growing into a leader for men's basketball team

Just a few hours earlier, Jalen Warren had scored a career-high 19 points and helped the Eastern Florida State College men's basketball team advance to the NJCAA National Championship Tournament semifinals.

He could have been telling friends about his big day or any of a hundred other things, but the freshman from Canada sat in the stands of Hutchinson Sports Arena talking with students from nearby Lincoln Elementary School that had come to cheer for the Titans.

It is that kind of attitude that has propelled the point guard into a leading role with the 29-4 Titans.

"Coach (Jeremy Shulman) has put a lot of confidence in me to make the right reads and put me in the starting lineup," Warren said during a press conference Thursday. "Coach gave me the keys and told me to do what I do best and have fun."

But it didn't come easy for Warren who came off the bench for most of the season but coach Shulman gave him his first start on Jan. 20 against Santa Fe and he grabbed hold of the opportunity, starting every game since then and has 70 assists in those 12 starts with just 26 turnovers.

"Though Jalen is only in his first year with me, he has already become one of the best freshmen guards I have ever coached," Shulman said. "Jalen is a special player who will only get better and better."

And he seems to be doing just that so far in this tournament, averaging 17.5 points, six assists and is averaging 34 minutes per game as he has become the No. 1 point guard for the team.

And on Friday night he will take the court against No. 13 South Plains College in the NJCAA National Championship Tournament semifinals at 7 p.m. EDT. A win would send the Titans back to the national championship game for the second straight season.