Senior guard Drew Higdon looks to emerge as more of an offensive threat for Whiteland.
Daily Journal file photo
Take away a pair of midcourt heaves intended to beat the buzzer, and Whiteland guard Drew Higdon attempted all of two 3-pointers last season.
Anticipate a noticeable spike in long-distance offerings now that the senior has moved to the shooting guard position.
Higdon, the Warriors’ starting point guard out of necessity during a 2020-21 season that resulted in a 12-10 record, looks forward to the opportunity to square up for the occasional perimeter look.
“I’m really happy about it because I think I fit that role better,” said the 6-foot-4 Higdon, who averaged 5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3 assists as a junior. “I played point guard last year because we didn’t really have anyone, but Kyson (Jones) is really going to step up and play 1 for us.”
Whiteland, which has nine away games among its first 11 contests, including next Tuesday’s opener at Eastern Greene, appears to possess the type of experience and depth necessary to take on such a challenge.
Higdon’s contributions aside, 6-4 junior Austin Willoughby averaged 9.1 points and 6-6 post Max Sullivan contributed 9.2 points and 4.1 boards. The 6-2 Jones (7 ppg, 1.4 assists) played more on the wing last season but, as Higdon mentioned, is expected to handle point guard duties.
Once last season ended, coach Nate Cangany and his assistants explored best utilizing the respective strengths of returning personnel. That led to experimenting with Jones at point during summer competition and Higdon playing off the ball for the first time in two years.
Whiteland responded with 24 victories in 28 games, led by the scoring of Higdon and Willoughby. There were games, Cangany said, in which Higdon made good on three or four 3-pointers.
“Drew has always been kind of a combo guard. He’s possesses the skills to run the point, if you need, but he’s always sort of had that scorer’s mentality,” Cangany said. “When he played JV as a sophomore, he was the leading scorer.
“When he moved up to varsity in February of that year, the one thing that kind of surprised us is that he had an attitude shift where he was trying to distribute the ball and get it in the right people’s hands. Last year, he felt he had to be a pass-first playmaker, and that was something in his own mind.”
Senior guard Dylan Gross is expected to complete the Warriors’ starting lineup.
Junior forward Brayden Roy also stands 6-4 and adds depth along with other underclassmen who played mostly junior varsity a year ago. Cagnany’s second five also includes guards Wiatt McLaughlin, Jazz Banwait, Jacob Smith and DJ Jordan.
“This year, I feel like everyone fits the spot that’s best for them,” Higdon said. “This team will be good with our hustle and with our depth, so we might be able to outrun teams. And I feel like we have enough athletic players that we can go in there and get rebounds.”
