Junior Varsity Basketball- Whiteland Warriors

Whiteland has a factory of players that will keep the basketball program legit. This JV squad ensures the Varsity team will have talent for years to come.    Joey continues to be a great all around player who excels at every facet of the game. He's a shifty guard who always found ways of being effective on the basketball court. Whether it was getting to the basket, assisting teammates, scoring in transition or knocking down perimeter shots, Joey was a tough cover for opposing defenders. There was a point in the game where he scored tough baskets in the paint. He fearlessly attacked the opposing Center despite being undersized. Joey was able to finish with flashy lay-ups through contact. He's a dynamic scorer who is capable of putting up big numbers when his shots are going down. Joey had an off shooting night Friday evening. I have seen him score over twenty-five on numerous occasions, so I know what he's capable of. Defensively, Joey forced turnovers by pressuring opposing guards into mistakes. Some of those steals led to transition baskets for other Whiteland players. Joey is a great player who will have a major impact in his Freshman season.     I was thoroughly impressed with Lucas Friday night. He continues to be a legit threat from the three-point line. He finished the game with three shots from long range. What Lucas has truly improved, was his ball handling and desire to attack the basket. When I watched Lucas play last season, he was a shooting guard who exclusively shot three-pointers. Now, he beats defenders off the dribble, attacks the basket and knocks down a high percentage of mid-range shots. Lucas showed toughness when he battled Center Grove players for rebounds. The majority of his boards led to him pushing the pace up-court and scoring. Other times he was able to find teammates with great passing. Lucas was in such a scoring grove, he became the team's main scorer and facilitator in the second half of the game. On defense, Lucas used his length to be disruptive against opposing players. He forced multiple turnovers and caused the Center Grove players to make mistakes. He's become a great two-way player who has a chance to become even greater. Lucas finished the game with 20 points.     Jace is a dynamic scoring forward who showed the ability to break down opponents, knock down threes and attack the paint. He's a good perimeter shooter who capitalized on creating the space he needed to get open looks at the basket. Jace is a great one-on-one player. When opposing defenders were isolated were isolated against him, Jace took advantage of the mismatch. There was a point in the game when Whiteland needed a basket. Jace used a great cross-over to get into the lane and finish strong at the rim. In Friday's game he showed excellent passing skills. The majority of his assists led to high percentage shots for his Whiteland teammates. On defense, he was tenacious! He was great on the ball when he applied pressure on the opposition. Jace is an excellent player who is capable of having a breakout season.     Dilraj continues to be a dominant presence on the basketball court. Whether it was scoring, rebounding, passing or defending, Dilraj was always in the vicinity of the basketball. He used his size to take advantage of smaller defenders in the post. He is a multi-dimensional scorer. Dilraj has the ability to shoot fade-away jumpers, score transition points and dominate around the rim. He's also skilled enough to knock down mid or long-range shots. Dilraj is a great rebounder who excelled at grabbing boards on both ends of the court. Defensively, he makes scoring hard on opposing defenders. He blocked multiple shots and protected the paint. Dilraj is a great player who I expect to dominate this fall.     An athletic small forward who dominated the boards, scored inside and defended. Lavontae is a great rebounder who attacked the glass on both ends of the court. He welcomed physical play in regards to fighting for rebounds. Lavonte scored most of his points in the paint by converting put-backs around the basket. He showed the ability to beat defenders off the dribble and finish strong at the rim. Defensively, Lavontae was all over the court. He guarded players inside the interior and on the perimeter. Lavontae showed the athleticism to hold his own against smaller players while being strong enough to defend the post. He finished the game with multiple blocks and steals. Lavontae is a tough player who could flourish this season.

Whiteland has a factory of players that will keep the basketball program legit. This JV squad ensures the Varsity team will have talent for years to come.