Hannah White had a feeling Saturday was going to be a good day.
It didn’t take hearing a song or an encouraging word from a classmate to make the Columbus High School standout feel like she was going to do well in the team’s season opener against Canton at the Tigerland Classic.
“I even told one of my uncles I think am going to have 50 points,” White said.
White didn’t quite hit her mark, but she came pretty close.
The senior guard poured in 30 points and had 10 rebounds to lead Columbus to a 53-44 victory. The effort showcased the versatility White hopes to parlay into a “legendary” final season with the Lady Falcons.
For her accomplishment, White is The Dispatch’s Prep Player of the Week.
“I felt ready to play,” White said. “I know every game I am going to have to earn everything I get. I felt really good. I felt we were going to win and that I could play really good.”
White said the game started slowly and she found herself in foul trouble. Still, she had that recurring feeling she was going to have a good game by the third time she went to the free-throw line. She said she tried not to disrupt her positive vibes and stayed aggressive.
“If I let up, they were going to come attack me,” said White, who faced a box-and-one.
White, who likely will be a member of The Clarion-Ledger’s Dandy Dozen, which recognizes the state’s top players, can handle the basketball, score from the perimeter and the block, and create her own shot. She has grown accustomed to being denied the basketball and double-teamed as her skills have blossomed the last two seasons. With everyone back from the 2017-18 squad, White feels this year’s team can accomplish big things.
“Teams think they can win by trying to stop everything I do,” White said, “but we have a whole bunch of other players.
“I want everybody to remember Hannah White. I think we can accomplish a state championship this year. We all believe in each other.”
Columbus coach Yvonne Hairston believes in White and the rest of the Lady Falcons, too. She credited White for following through on her initial good feelings.
“She has really put in the work,” Hairston said. “She works hard all of the time. I always tell her practice is the hard thing and the game is the easy thing. She is buying into that.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 46 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.