By Kyle McFadden
Usually, when a head coach packs together his chalked-up playbook, collective memories and feast or famine resume to seek a new journey on the coaching carousel, the organization that he or she left behind is a gloomy environment desperately needing to ridden negative vibes.
When Joe Keimig found full-time employment in Northern Virginia, there would be a vacant office in the gym hallway of Tuscarora High School. Thus leaving athletic director Mark Wolcott a weighty decision to be made.
Approaching a hallmark season in the making with boasting levels of depth and talent, a credentialed coach with fiery passion and a winning-geared mindset would be atop the doctor’s orders. Wolcott filed names down one-by-one, but ultimately one fit the bill – longtime affiliate with the Thomas Johnson boys and girls basketball program, Darryl Whiten.
“I’m truly excited, humble and thankful for this new blessing,” Whiten said, who spent 18 years in the Thomas Johnson basketball program and the last six as the head girls basketball coach compiling 103-wins that span. “I couldn’t thank the Tuscarora administrative and the athletic staff enough for this opportunity.”
For Whiten, he will inherit a Titan team that returns many vital players from the 15-8 campaign just a year ago and brings basketball knowledge along with his experience to the table for the 2015-2016 season and beyond.
What’s most noteworthy is his meaty track-record that includes turning a Thomas Johnson girls basketball team that went 6-35 from 2008-2010 to a 103-win team since taking over in the winter of 2010 up until the spring of 2015. He played college basketball at Clarion University from 1981-1985 where he was a teammate of long-time friend John Calipari (Kentucky men’s head basketball coach), who is one of the most accomplished coaches in college basketball history – totaling a 597-176 record in 15 seasons that includes one national championship and churning out nearly 40 NBA players.
The two still remain in contact until this day, discussing coaching tactics and running basketball camps over the summer. Whiten looks to take that and translate it to the hardwood at Tuscarora. And with his “everybody’s gotta eat” motto, he has the Titan hoops organization buzzing that they can reach new heights and turning a state championship from a dream into a realistic goal.
“Our thing is, everybody’s gotta eat,” Whiten said. “John (Calipari) always said, ‘Everybody’s gotta eat.’ If we all eat, it can be pretty special.”
Tuscarora will return three of their five starters from a year ago – Dee Anderson (6-foot guard), Jaylen Washington (6-foot-3 wing) and Rhashad Johnson (5-foot-7 point guard) who all three possess the athleticism to run any offense Whiten implements and different skill sets to wreak havoc on the defensive end of the floor.
Washington, who is entering his junior year, saw an enormous role as a sophomore leading his team in scoring (11-points per game) and rebounds (5.5 per game). He looks to build off of that and follow in his older brother’s footsteps where Lamell led the Titans to a region championship and state semifinal appearance in 2012.
“I forced the issue too many times last year,” Washington said. “It’s the little things I learned like hustling more and playing hard. Just letting the game come to me.”
Washington is a 6-foot-3 wing that can do it all, from running the floor to posting up on the low block. Whiten also praised him for his intriguing versatility, stating that if needed, he can play all five positions at any given time.
“That’s going to be a huge advantage for us,” he said about the versatility of Washington. “We’re excited about that. (Jaylen Washington) a very talented individual.”
Rhashad Johnson will man the lead guard position and though he gives up many inches to the opposition, standing at 5-foot-7, he doesn’t shy away from being an aggressive floor general and the heart and soul of his team. The senior point guard is coming of a year in which he averaged nine points and three assists per game.
“If he can go, we can go,” Whiten said. “He’s our engine.”
With Johnson running the point, we can expect an up-tempo, fast paced offense that can score points in a hurry off of transition buckets. Defensively, Johnson brings perimeter stinginess to harass opposing offenses.
“One thing that I’m trying to do this year is be more aggressive,” Johnson said. “And not just get my shot, but get everyone a shot. Attack with a purpose.”
Backing up Johnson off the bench at the lead guard position will be senior Gionni Morrison. Whiten stated that both Johnson and Morrison will both play leadership and coaching roles when on the floor.
Dee Anderson and John Chaney (6-foot) will solidify a more than solid back-court, offering dark-horse scoring and defensive goods.
Anderson averaged nine points per game last year. Chaney, meanwhile, is poised for a strong season and vies for a starting role. He showed spurts of prominence last year as a sixth-man, including a 17-point performance in the 77-52 playoff win against Frederick.
“John (Chaney) is going to be a dark horse for us this year,” Whiten said. “He’s a leader by example. A strong work ethic. We’re really excited with how his preseason is coming along.”
Other guards that could emerge this season as reliable threats are Myles Belton and football standout Rodney Dorsey. In the front-court, Isaiah Tillman (6-foot-5) is projected to play alongside Washington and sophomore’s Kyle Lepkowski and Sean Blaney will jockey for playing time off the bench.
“We like our guys,” Whiten said. “We’re excited.”
One thing that Whiten looks to hone in on is to prevent his team from having to play catch-up as much as possible.
“We need to get off to a smart start in games,” Whiten said. “Smart starts will lead to good starts and prevent us from playing catch-up.”
Many inside the organization claim that the reason for their inconsistent play was just simply a lack of focus and knowledge for the opposition. They were bounced in the playoffs earlier than expected in the 55-51 loss to South Hagerstown in the second round.
“With the guys that we have this year, we will not beat ourselves,” Johnson said. “The South Hagerstown loss, it was all mental. We were the better team and we beat ourselves.”
Johnson, Washington and company vow that the mental woes will be a thing of the past.
“Coach Whiten just keeps us focused,” Washington said.
Overall, the Titans feel as if they have plenty of household contributors for the 2015-2016 season and the right guy leading the way to make a serious push for the schools first state championship.
“This is my senior year, man,” Johnson said. “I just want to go out with a bang, a state championship.”
Tuscarora will open up the season December 4th playing host to South Hagerstown.
“I’m praying that we stay healthy,” Whiten said. “I never like to put the cart before the horse. Our focus is to get better each and every day and let the chips fall where they lie. We still have a long way to go.”
You can follow me on Twitter @k_fadd and Maryland Sports Access @MDSportsAccess for Tuscarora basketball coverage throughout the year.
Projected starting lineup
PG – Rhashad Johnson, senior (5-7)
G – Dee Anderson, senior (6-0)
G – John Chaney, senior (6-0)
F – Jaylen Washington, junior (6-3)
F – Isaiah Tillman, senior (6-5)
Key reserves: G Myles Belton (senior), G Rodney Dorsey (junior), PG Gionni Morrison (senior), F Kyle Lepkowski (sophomore), F Sean Blaney (sophomore)
Key Matchups:
12/4 – South Hagerstown
12/22 – Linganore
12/28 – Seneca Valley
1/08/16 – at Urbana
1/12/16 – at Oakdale
1/26/16 – Walkersville
2/2/16 – at Linganore
2/9/16 – Urbana
2/12/16 – Oakdale
2/18/16 – at Quince Orchard
