The great White hope

Whitman puts ball in hands of veteran floor general

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Click here to enlarge this photo normand a. bernache⁄special to the gazette Whitman rising senior Antione White (front) looks for a way around Magruder’s Jon Kumi in a Montgomery Cunty Rec League summer basketball semifinal last Thursday. Whitman lost the game, but White continues to look like he’ll be a major force come winter as the Vikings defend their first-ever state title.

Then came the full-court press.

‘‘Some of the new guys didn’t know where to be,” rising senior point guard Antoine White said. ‘‘Some of the older guys messed up, too, including myself. So you just have to go back and work hard in the gym.”

Magruder — no slouch defensively last season itself — slapped on the press with 5 minutes, 24 seconds left to play, and it was devastating. Four consecutive turnovers led to seven straight Colonel points, and Whitman went without a bucket for the next 3:26. Magruder went on to win, 57-52, advancing to the championship game against Montrose Christian Tuesday night.

The press break is one of those little details that come with repetition, something Whitman still needs. The Vikings, coming off a state championship a little over four months ago, went just 5-5 in the summer league’s regular season.

This summer’s team is different without its clear leader last winter, soon-to-be Lafayette (Pa.) College guard Michael Gruner, who looked on from the stands Thursday. Three starters return, all at guard, but the Vikings are still looking for that go-to guy.

That’s where White comes in. Coaches love returning starters at point guard, especially when they’re seniors who have played a key role in a state championship. As the player likely to have the ball in his hands more than any other Viking this season, White knows he will have to take a more active role come December.

‘‘I have to step up a lot; I’ve gotta be a leader,” White said. ‘‘I wasn’t a big leader last year. ... Last summer, [Gruner] left for about the whole summer and we played without him. I think we’ll be fine. Other guys will step up. It’s all a learning process.”

White, who averaged 8.3 points and 3.9 assists last season, doesn’t have to shoulder all of the 21 points Gruner scored per game. Forward Sam Baron led Whitman Thursday with 18 points, and Andrew Leonard added 11. Senior Mikey Fitzpatrick (5 points) and power forward Mike Lee, who wasn’t at Thursday’s game, will also add their share.

But White is also more than just an assist man. He is quick into the lane, where he can kick it out or, if the opportunity arises, take it to the hole himself. He’s also not afraid to shoot from outside. White hit two long jumpers Thursday, one from beyond the three-point arc and one from just inside, on the way to 12 points.

‘‘Antoine’s tough,” said Whitman coach Chris Lun, also watching from the stands Thursday. ‘‘We feel like for us to be successful, you’ve gotta have good guard play. We’ve got Antoine and Mikey and Leonard. ... Wins and losses aren’t important; we’re just getting the guys used to playing with each other again and just see what we need to fix when it’s time to start again in November.”

One of those things seems to be bringing the ball up against full-court pressure. Like scoring, it’s a responsibility that White will have to shoulder, but not alone. Lun and White both seemed confident that it was one of the details that would be ironed out with a bit more repetition.

‘‘There’s a lot of learning going on,” White said. ‘‘We have a lot of new guys coming in, a lot of new faces. So they’ve got to learn this system, how we play defense and everything.”

The signs are looking good. After their .500 regular season in the Department of Rec league, including another loss to Magruder back in June, Whitman edged two higher-seeded teams to reach the playoff semifinals. The Vikings tipped Sherwood, 61-57, in the first round, then beat fellow state playoff team from last winter Seneca Valley, 43-41, in the quarters.

Whitman has also won seven straight games in the St. Albans Ban the Brick League, after starting 0-2. The Vikings are beginning to bridge the experience gap, and have until February to finish the job.

‘‘It’s summer,” Lun said. ‘‘You see that [press], and realize, hey, we have to start November 1 and make sure we know where we need to be. That comes with just going over stuff.”

A veteran floor general could go a long way for Whitman, as well.