White Frustrated by UNLV’s Season

Angie White had lived the experience often before. So although White, a Nevada Las Vegas sophomore guard, hoped this outcome would be different, she was apprehensive.

Unfortunately for the Rebels, nothing changed.

White’s worst-case scenario became reality Wednesday night as, once again, the Rebels played well for almost an entire game but still finished a little short. Pacific ended the season for White, a former Capistrano Valley High standout, and her frustrated UNLV teammates with a 58-57 victory in the Big West tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center.

One game and out is not the way White wanted it, but she wasn’t shocked.

“I really think we have the best talent in the conference, we just couldn’t seem to get any breaks this season,” White said. “It’s like you play a good game and you keep losing by one, two, three points. It’s been really hard.”

The Rebels’ perpetually poor late-game luck occurred despite White--not because of her. Had it not been for White, UNLV (11-15, 10-8 during the regular-conference season) undoubtedly would have had several more head-hanging moments.

White (5 feet 7) was the team’s third-leading scorer with an 11.7-point average. She led UNLV in three-point field-goal percentage (42.9%) and shot 46.3% overall.

Her best game came March 2 against UC Santa Barbara. She set career highs with 22 points and five three-pointers in five attempts as UNLV won, 76-68. During the Rebels’ final three regular-season games, White averaged 16.3 points as the team went 2-1.

“I think I’ve gotten a lot better,” said White, 19. “I shoot (three-pointers) better and my composure is a lot better.

“I think I’m just a solid player who doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. I don’t hurt the team so I play a lot of minutes.”

Not last season, she didn’t.

As a freshman, White spent most of her time watching others play. It was a new, unpleasant experience for The Times’ all-county player who led Capistrano Valley to a Southern Section championship game while playing slightly out of position at point guard.

Still, White averaged 19.8 points and 9.2 assists as a senior. She understood that UNLV was distinctly better than Capistrano Valley, but she believed she was more than ready to play.

“That was really difficult,” she said. “I had a real tough time with that. I pretty much hated last year, and I lost all my confidence.

“I thought I was good enough to start. It took me all summer to get over that, but I have.”

Although the inactivity was upsetting, White used the time constructively. She watched attentively as Coach Jim Bolla taught the game, and said she is extremely familiar with the Rebels’ philosophy.

“I learned the system while I was sitting,” she said. “I could practically coach the team now.”

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Monarch title chase: No, this isn’t about Gary McKnight or Schea Cotton. The title chase referred to here involves former Mater Dei High standout guards Reggie Geary and Miles Simon, and their goal to win the NCAA Division I championship.

Both are integral members of Arizona (23-6, 13-4 in the Pacific 10 Conference), which has the talent to reach the Final Four.

Geary, a junior, is known for his defensive prowess. However, he has shown flashes of big-time offensive ability this season despite averaging only 6.1 points.

Simon averages 8.7 points and has the potential to become one of the nation’s best scorers.

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The hitter: Robyn Yorke, one of the county’s best softball players while at Marina High, is an All-American sophomore right fielder at Fresno State. On Tuesday, the National Softball Coaches Assn. named Yorke its national player of the week.

In nine games during the previous week, Yorke batted .563 (18-32) with 10 runs, four runs batted in, three doubles and three stolen bases. The Western Athletic Conference selected Yorke its player of the week Monday.

Yorke’s current 21-game hitting streak is a single-season school record and is the eleventh-highest total in NCAA history. She leads the Bulldogs (21-4) with a .563 batting average, 46 hits and five stolen bases.

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Last stand: The college career of Ryan Martin (Ocean View High) closes this week. Martin, a senior guard at Cal State Northridge, plays his final game as the Matadors end the season in the America West Conference tournament at Cedar City, Utah.

Martin, a starter, averages 10.3 points for Northridge (7-19, 4-2 in conference). He leads the team in free-throw shooting (85.3%).

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Keeping Track is a regular column in The Times following the progress of former Orange County athletes competing for colleges elsewhere. Readers with information for this feature may reach Jason Reid at (714) 966-5847 or send it by FAX: (714) 966-5663.