Devonte White -- Pitt CC

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 16, 2011 1:47 PM

• Print
• Email

There is not much Devonte White didn't experience during his four years as a basketball player at Goldsboro High School.

White persevered through multiple coaching changes, adjusted as the athletics program moved to a new conference and played a key role in the Cougars' run to a state finals appearance in 2010.

Learning through the highs and lows of a rewarding and trying high school career strengthened White as a player and a person. He hopes to use those valuable lessons when he continues his basketball career next season at Pitt Community College.

White considered offers from multiple Division II schools including Catawba and Guilford College, along with Wake Tech. Bulldogs' head coach Darrick Mullins' commitment to academics, and the opportunity to play with former Goldsboro teammate Tyrelle Jackson attracted to White to Pitt.

Former Charles B. Aycock guard Terrence Drakeford also plays for the Bulldogs.

White attended a tryout at Pitt in early April and was offered a partial athletic scholarship shortly thereafter. He hopes to transfer to Barton College after two years at Pitt.

The Bulldogs went 7-16 last season.

"I really liked the coach and the team atmosphere," said White. "I liked the campus and the idea of going to school in Greenville."

White played for four head coaches at Goldsboro -- Randy Jordan, Tod Morgan, Chris Cherry and Patrick Reynell. Jordan, Morgan and Cherry all left the school. White was outspoken about trust issues and the betrayal he and his teammates felt regarding the revolving coach's door at the school.

The Cougars exited the Eastern Plains 2-A Conference moved into the Carolina 1-A Conference before Reynell took over the program. White watched patiently as the former Aycock assistant was hired and began to implement his offensive and defensive systems.

"I think playing at Goldsboro made me a better player," said White. "I learned a lot and it showed me no matter who comes or who is your coach you just have to play even harder. I'm very thankful for Coach Reynell.

"He took me to every college workout I went to, he helped me with my grades and my defense. I couldn't have gotten to where I am without him."

Reynell instilled a defense-first mentality into the Cougars during his first season. The Cougars finished 23-8 overall, won the Carolina regular-season and tournament championships and played for the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-A state title.

Under Reynell's tutelage, White's scoring increased in each of his final two seasons. He averaged 12.8 points per game as a senior, and led the team in assists in both his junior and senior years. White scored in double figures in 18 of Goldsboro's 25 games last season, and handed out 208 assists during his final two years in a Cougars' uniform.

White was a part of 59 wins during his three seasons on the varsity level.

"I am grateful as a young coach to have had Devonte at Goldsboro because he believes in the adults around him," said Reynell. "His IQ for the game made it easy for me to have an 'assistant coach' out there that could translate what I was saying to everyone else.

"I know he will be back to help these younger players with their goals and aspirations, and I can see Devonte sitting on a bench himself some day running his own team."