White grows amid rough season

By FAITH MOLDAN

Bigfork Eagle

Bigfork High School senior John White may prefer the greenery of a football or baseball field over the hardwood, but his presence on the basketball court this season helped the Vikings maintain their pride and composure.

“It was way rough,” White said of the Vikes’ 0-20 season. Combine that with the 0-8 football season this fall, and one might think White would be hanging his head.

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” White said of the basketball season. “I made a lot of new friendships.”

Friendship is what got White started playing basketball in the first place, all the way back in fourth grade.

“I started in Rotary League,” he said. “Kainoa (Lake) was playing and we were best friends. I wanted to hang out with my friends.”

White, a part of the BHS basketball program all four years of high school, and Lake were the lone seniors for the Vikes this basketball season, capping off seven years of playing basketball together.

“I guess it grew on me,” White said of basketball. “I like being in competitive sports.”

With a young team with little varsity experience, White was often an example for his teammates.

“He helped kids bounce back after adversity and tough losses,” Bigfork coach Jim Epperly said. “He brought a calmness when things were spiraling out of control during games.”

White said he was trying to lead his teammates.

“Younger players tend to get rushy,” he said of the louder and fast-paced varsity games. White said his favorite game this season was Bigfork’s game in Frenchtown Feb. 15, specifically for that reason.

“It was their senior night and we were winning the entire game, and then watching Kainoa make his free throw to send it into overtime and we had four guys foul out. It was the loudest atmosphere I’ve been in,” he said.

White said he wasn’t expecting to play basketball all four years, as he did so initially as a way to keep in shape for baseball season. Epperly noted White’s development and progression on the basketball court over the years, especially this last season.

“He’s a good athlete,” Epperly said of White. “He became a steady basketball player, with a lot of hustle plays and good defense. He was one of our most consistent players.” White averaged about 7-8 points each game and 5-6 rebounds, as well. “His perimeter shots improved from last year,” Epperly said.

“I didn’t put up as many points as I wanted to,” White said.

White said the transition from last season to this one wasn’t as big of a step as he had thought it would be even with his increased playing time.

“We were always the underdog,” he said. “We had to prove people wrong every time. I like a challenge.”

White credited the team with improving every game, as well and staying close as a team.

“We never got in a fight,” he said.

White has broken his left hand — his dominant hand — twice, but has not had to fight off any side effects of the injuries. He broke his hand first his junior year and re-broke it during football season this fall. That hand serves him well during baseball season, as he plays first base and pitches for the Kalispell Lakers.

“It’s the sport I’m best at,” he said. The Lakers began practice two weeks ago.

White said that baseball is “a family thing” for him. He and his dad, Robert, often attended San Francisco Giants games prior to the family’s move from California to Bigfork in 1991. White’s dad also played baseball in high school.

“I want to play baseball in college,” White said. He attended a Gonzaga recruiting camp during the winter break, but a shoulder injury kept him from performing as well as he could. He said he’d like to play at a Division I college, but will probably start at a smaller school and work his way up while pursuing a major in business, communication or advertising.

His basketball coach, Epperly, said he believes White can accomplish a lot with his attitude and hard work.

“He’s becoming a real fine young man,” Epperly said.