Whiteland junior guard Ethan Edwards releases a jumper against Center Grove.
Chris Williams | For the Daily Journal
Like a lot of high school basketball players, Ethan Edwards relishes the opportunity to take advantage of a good growth spurt.
Only in the Whiteland junior’s case, his development both as a player and person encompasses a great deal more than the shooting guard being the Warriors’ tallest player at 6-foot-6.
Edwards, a valued reserve as a sophomore, is in the midst of a noticeable leap statistically and intangibly for Whiteland (6-5), which hosts county and Mid-State Conference rival Greenwood this evening on the back end of a girls/boys doubleheader.
“I really think the biggest value I have is putting the ball in the hole, and being a leader to the guys,” said Edwards, whose 13.1 scoring average makes him one of four Warrior starters averaging double figures, joining junior Gavin Stubbe (12.7) and seniors Jazz Banwait (13.4) and Wiatt McLaughlin (11.4).
“Sometimes, I can talk to them at halftime of a game, and other times I lead by example by playing as hard as I can. As a player, I feel I’m much more versatile than last season. I was more of a catch-and-shoot guy, and now I feel I can score the ball from all three levels. I feel my game has developed over time through tons of hard work.”
Edwards and his younger brother Kyle, a freshman wing for the Warriors’ junior varsity squad, are the sons of Whiteland alums Brad and Amanda Edwards. Brad, a 1997 graduate, is a former basketball standout himself.
Both young men are all about the home team, which in Ethan’s case takes on two different meanings.
In October 2018, Brad Edwards, who coached his sons’ travel teams as they were growing up, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. It’s a battle he continues to fight today, and one that helps inspire Ethan and Kyle every time they walk onto a basketball court.
“My father is somebody I look up to every day. He’s such a caring, loving guy who is always trying to help people,” Ethan Edwards said. “Even the fact that he’s here right now is such a blessing.
“I’ve been playing basketball my whole life, but I didn’t play organized basketball until I was 10 or 11. Being around the game and seeing my dad play pickup games, it rubbed off on me.”
Whiteland is coming off an impressive showing at the Ray Furney Holiday Classic at Lawrenceburg, winning three of four games to place third overall.
Edwards led the way with 17 points in a 72-43 defeat of Connersville, scored 22 in a 95-52 romp over West Morgan (Alabama) and finished with 13 points in Whiteland’s 73-63 loss to Class 2A No. 6 Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. The Warriors wrapped up play with Edwards tallying 15 points in a 65-59 consolation victory over 3A No. 3 Guerin Catholic.
Edwards aspires to eventually become a college basketball coach, and Whiteland coach Nate Cangany doesn’t need to be sold on such a glimpse into the future.
“We were actually watching the Franklin-Shelbyville game right before Christmas. Ethan saw that I was there, and sat next to me the rest of the game,” Cangany said. “He’s a basketball junkie, and definitely has the temperament of a coach.
“Ethan is very motivated when it comes to the game, and how much he wants to learn about the game. He’s always doing that even though he’s still in the middle of his playing career.”
IF YOU GO
Greenwood at Whiteland
When: 6 p.m. (girls) and 7:30 p.m. (boys)
Tickets: whitelandsports.com
