Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Monday, January 17, 2000
White rewards
By Pat Bigold
Wallace’s confidence
Star-BulletinSometimes it isn't easy being the only doctor in the house.
People tend to blame you when the patient dies.
That's how Johnny White, Hawaii's only true point guard, must feel.
The 6-foot-1 senior is the only ballhandler the Rainbows have who can deal with the spectrum of defenses opponents throw at Hawaii (12-4 overall, 1-2 Western Athletic Conference).
He's not Ed Cota and he's not Anthony Carter, but White has been Hawaii's starter at the point for 42 straight games and no one knows the job better right now.
That's why Rainbows head coach Riley Wallace stayed with White despite his 2-point, five-turnover performance in last Wednesday's home court loss to Southern Methodist.
White vindicated his coach Saturday night as he scored 20 points to lead Hawaii to a 90-86 victory over Texas Christian (10-9, 1-2 WAC), the NCAA's highest-scoring team, at the Stan Sheriff Center.
He cut his turnovers to one and had three assists.
"He's played for me for two years, for long minutes, never gives me any problems and works hard," said Wallace. "When he has a bad game, he comes to me, and says, 'I really hurt the team, what can I do to improve?' I told him to get in the gym and get his shot down a little better.
"People tend to get down on these kids but this is not a pro team. These are kids and they have emotions."
White, a 59 percent free throw shooter who came through under pressure to make 6 of 7 against the Horned Frogs, said he knew what people were saying.
"I know Coach Wallace believes in me, and he knows I can do things, and he just wants me to work hard," said White. "Coach told me some of the comments people made but I don't let that get to me because I'm mentally strong. I've been playing this game 12 years now and I know what I can do. Coach believes in me and I want to come out and do my best for him."
The 20 points was a season high for White. His career high was 23 at San Diego State on Feb. 20, 1999.
Another motivating factor for White Saturday night was the presence of Marquise Gainous, his former teammate at Jones High School in Orlando, Fla. Gainous scored a game-high 38 points. He scored 18 of those while leading a 38-18 second-half Horned Frogs rally that cut a 21-point Hawaii lead to one with 58 seconds left.
He nearly spoiled White's night.
"I've known him since the sixth grade and he was a year ahead of me," said White. "My junior year (at Jones), we were the No. 3 team in the state and had a 24-6 record, and Marquise was player of the year for the county."
The Rainbows travel to Houston to play Rice (4-9, 0-2) on Thursday. On Saturday, they go to Tulsa to face the 19th-ranked Golden Hurricane (16-1, 2-0).
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
