Class 7A blog: Milton boys basketball team playing well in trying times

Battle-tested is an understatement. Milton’s season was jolted by unimaginable tragedy at the start.

With three all-state players returning, Milton was pegged as the team to beat again this season. MaxPreps ranked the Eagles No. 2 nationally in preseason. But just moments after Milton’s first game Nov. 17, two players were arrested on murder and robbery charges. Jonathan Murray and Cameron Walker remain jailed without bond in the death of 24-year-old Connor Mediate.

Whitehart said the team and the school are still trying to heal from it.

“There’s no coaching manual for this,’’ Whitehart said. “It’s day by day. You have a community that’s shaken. You can’t make sense of it. You just try to cope and love the kids you have as much as you can and let them know you’re here for them.”

After that opening game, a victory, Milton dropped its next contest to Pebblebrook 64-47 and would lose again a week later to Berkmar. Those are among the top contenders that Milton ultimately must overcome to defend its Class 7A title in March.

One of Milton’s team leaders, L.T. Overton, was delayed rejoining the team because the football team played into December. His return provided a boost both physically and emotionally, Whitehart said.

Overton, better known as a five-star defensive lineman in football, came back for the team’s trip to the City of Palms tournament in Fort Meyers, Fla., where Milton opened with a victory over Calvary Christian (ranked No. 3 nationally) and lost competitively to national powers Montverde Academy and IMG Academy.

“When we added L.T. after football, it settled us a little bit,’’ Whitehart said. “It gave us our full identity, not just a half of it. That was probably the turning point. We’re blessed that he wants to play both sports.’’

Milton still has the best three players from its 2020-21 championship team.

One is Bruce Thornton, a 6-foot-2 point guard and four-year starter who has signed with Ohio State. He’s the state’s No. 1 senior prospect and a top-50 national player.

Another is Kanaan Carylyle, a 6-2 combo guard and three-year starter who committed to Stanford this month. Carlyle is the consensus No. 30 prospect nationally among juniors.

Then there’s Overton, a three-year basketball starter who would be a major Division I basketball player except that he’s the most highly recruited defensive player nationally among juniors. He’s 6-4, 265-pound defensive lineman.

“The way [those three] understand what’s needed to win at different points in the game is amazing for players that age,’’ Whitehart said. “They’re all selfless guys willing to sacrifice for the bigger needs of the team.’’

Whitehart then provided examples of how each has taken over games. At the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions in Missouri, Thornton averaged 25 points and was in Whitehart’s estimation the tournament’s best player.

Carlyle, under the weather for part of that event, then scored 25 in Milton’s last game against Camden, MaxPreps’ No. 11 team nationally. In a region game last week against Etowah, Milton won 63-55 with Overton scoring his team’s last 11 points.

Also starting are Chase Cormier, a senior transfer from Greenforest Christian who is committed to Northeastern, and Seth Fitzgerald, a 6-4 junior. First off the bench are 6-8 senior Michael Feinberg and 6-0 freshman point guard Avery White.

The rest of Milton’s schedule now is mostly region opponents. Milton, 12-7 overall and ranked No. 4 in 7A, has a three-game lead in the standings and is poised to defend its championship as a No. 1 seed if the Eagles close strong.

Whitehart hopes the toughest part of the season is behind and that big-game experience will get his team through.

“We joke as coaches that when you get in those really big games, the popcorn pops differently,’’ Whitehart said. “That whole stage is just a little bigger. I like the fact that we’ve been there and won on that stage. That was part of our scheduling philosophy, to amp it up so we could be ready again.’’