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| Wednesday, July 16 |
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| White in Flight SchoolSports.com | ||||||
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There aren't any plays designed for James White at Hargrave Military Academy (Va.). And that's just how the 6-foot-7, 185-pound small forward likes it. White was planning on transferring from Newport High (Md.) to Crispus Attucks High (Pa.) for his senior season, but budget cuts forced him to land in Virginia. And Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts couldn't be more pleased with his latest addition.
"He has taken off from the free-throw line with one- and two-hand dunks since he's been here," says Keatts. "He can probably play four positions on the floor and is one of the hardest-working kids I've ever been around." White is a SchoolSports.com first team Boys' Basketball Preseason All-American, but schools have stopped pestering him for his services ever since he gave an oral commitment to coach Billy Donovan and the Florida Gators. "It was the toughest decision in my life," says White, who averaged 23.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game last season at Newport. "The main factor was the playing style. They run all the time, and a big part of my game is running." White has a completely different demeanor on the court than off of it. He is soft-spoken and laid-back when he isn't playing hoops, but he's fiery and intense on the hardwood. "He's got a real high basketball IQ," says Keatts. "He's so explosive and handles the ball really well. He needs to get stronger and get in the weight room more." One thing White has been doing since coming to Hargrave is getting a lesson in discipline. He wakes up at 6 a.m., goes to class all day, practices for 2 ½ hours and then hits the books until bedtime. "It can get tiresome doing the same thing every day, but you get used to it," says White. "It's worth it because of the academics and that I am playing against some of the best people in the country -- not only during the games, but also in practice." White, who grew up in Maryland idolizing Bernard King but has been compared to Toronto Raptors All-Star Vince Carter, is concentrating on improving his defense and his long-range shot for the next level. "I have a good mid-range game, but I want to expand my perimeter shot," says White. White has already made the adjustment to the open style Hargrave plays. He scored 28 points in the team's first scrimmage and followed that up with a 31-point performance against national power Oak Hill Academy (Va.). "It's not one of those things where we're calling plays for James," says Keatts, who has seven other players on the team who have already committed to Division I colleges. "Nothing is directed towards James."
Click here to see when more preseason boys' and girls' basketball features -- including All-Americans, top recruits and Top 25 teams -- will be running.
Material from SchoolSports.com.Visit their web site at www.schoolsports.com | |
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