Pickin' Splinters

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White, Aquinas outlast Greece Athena to claim Dianetti Memorial Championship

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By PAUL GOTHAM

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A year ago, Mykel White was at best the fourth option on an Aquinas boys’ basketball team that advanced to the New York State Class AA Far West Regional.

In a lineup surrounded by then seniors Myles Blackwood, Jack Bleier, Robert McCullough and Jordan Jordan, the 6-foot-2 guard served as a complimentary piece.

Saturday evening White put the finishing touches on his first weekend as the focus of the AQ lineup.

And the new role fits him well.

White grabbed 13 rebounds to go with a game-high 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting to earn MVP as Aquinas defeated Greece Athena, 60-52 in the championship game of the Mike Dianetti Memorial Tournament.

“It feels good,” White said after the Li’l Irish improved to 2-0 on the early season. “It was just great energy all around winning this game.”

White scored eight in the third quarter as Aquinas built an eight-point advantage. He delivered when the Li’l Irish needed it most one stanza later.

After an I’Zayah Reaves 3-pointer cut the lead to four, White responded with a tap in. Two possessions later, he converted a rebound and putback for a 50-41 advantage.

Aquinas did not allow Athena within seven points for the remainder of the contest.

“When it was a four-point game, I just knew we had to slow the tempo,” White explained. “Athena’s a very good team. They like to play fast. We had to get them in the half-court and make it hard for them to score. I knew if we could get them in the half-court, we could slow them down a little bit.

“Knowing I’m a senior, I just go and get the ball and slow the game down myself.”

A year ago, a senior-laden Li’l Irish squad came up short in this same event. On Saturday, White was the only 12-grader to see the floor for Aquinas that rosters five juniors, five sophomores and one ninth-grader.

“I’ve been playing varsity since my freshman year. I got it under my ropes a little bit. Trying to bring the younger guys with me knowing that they could do it too. We just got to grow up a little bit as of right now. We’ll get it done down the road.”

“Last year we lost to Edison in this tournament, so it felt good to win this one,” said junior Chris Leysath who joined his teammate on the All-Tournament Team.

The 6-foot-5 forward accounted for 14 rebounds and 10 points in the win.

“We just had to prove something to the rest of Section V,” Leysath said. “That we can do it with a bunch of sophomores and a freshman on the team. We can do this and can go as far as anybody else can.”

Mykel White (0) drives to the basket during the 2021 Mike Dianetti Memorial Championship game. (Photo: SUE KANE)

Jay Alexander added 13 points and six rebounds in the win. Jah Breedlove and Mackie Terry scored six points apiece. Quante Gillians and Noonie McCullough both connected on a free throw.

Athena’s Khorie Reaves earned All-Tournament honors with a 22-point, seven-rebound performance in the championship game. The junior guard connected on 8-of-19 shots from the floor including 3-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc. Reaves also handed out five assists.

Zee Johnson scored 13 points for the Trojans (1-1). I’Zayah Reaves had seven points. I’Zick Reaves had five. Conner Osier finished two points, seven rebounds and five assists. Brandon Krout scored three points.

The late Mike Dianetti was the head coach at Aquinas from 1986 to 2006. Dianetti’s teams won the 2000 and 2001 Class BB sectional titles. The 1999-2000 squad advanced to the NYS semifinals. Dianetti passed away in 2007 after a battle with cancer.

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