Spencer County is an 8th region sleeper this season and Jake Whitlock’s steady play at the point is a contributing reason why. Jake averaged 8.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game as a freshman point guard starting varsity and dealt out several assists per game as a pass first guard. I recently caught up with Jake as he gets ready for his sophomore season leading the Bears.
PHKY: Describe your game for people who may never have seen you play. What are your strengths? What do you need to improve?
JW: My strengths are my defense, ball handling, and motor. Lots of players get mentioned for their offense but I play both ends of the court just as hard. I enjoy taking charges and doing the small things. As a player you always want to improve your shooting. I feel like I am a good shooter but it could always be better. I have learned how to play the pick and roll and excel with that. It’s hard knowing when to drive, shoot, or pass. As a point guard I must become better at making those decisions.
PHKY: Reflect on your last high school season. Were you happy with your individual performance? Were you happy with your team results?
JW: I’ve been playing varsity since 8th grade and I started varsity as a freshman. My 8th grade year prepared me for last year. I wasn’t nervous. We had some big wins my freshman year. We won 20 games the last two years. I had two of my best games last year against PRP( 14 points) and against Anderson County playing head to head against Cobe Penny (scored 15 points). Last year I averaged 8.6 points a game. I’m most proud of my 3:1 assist to turnover ratio. I shot 37% from the three point line. I would like to get over 40% this year. This year we play in the King of the Bluegrass. It will be exciting to start as a sophomore at point guard on that stage. Spencer County should be an 8th region contender.
PHKY: Who did you play AAU with? How did your season go?
JW: I played for the Louisville Prospects this year. We only had 7 players most of the year and some key injuries but we got better and better. The last tournament of the year we took the Louisville Magic down to the wire. I got to play against all the highly rated point guards this year and felt like I held my own. Weight training has allowed me to take the next step. It has made a huge difference in my game over the last several months.
PHKY: What can you take from your AAU season and apply to your next high school season?
JW: Using the pick and roll is such a deadly weapon. I feel like that allows me to play my game. I got lots of experience doing this over AAU season and look forward to using it in high school. If I can hit the mid range jumper as well as I did this summer then I should do well.
PHKY: What are your goals for your high school season?
JW: My goals for high school are to win 20 games for the third straight year, go to region and do well, have a good showing in the King of the Bluegrass. Statistically I would like to shoot at least 40% from three and 50% from the field and continue with a good assist to turnover ratio. My importantly I will continue to hit the weights hard which should allow me to reach my personal goals.
Heading into the 2018-19 season, Spencer County should be considered a dark horse contender to win the 8th region. With a strong core of Jake and 8 other varsity contributors from a year ago, Coach Jason Burns is set up to at least make the regional tournament and try to make some noise from there. If Spencer County does manage to get to the semifinals of the regional tournament or deeper, the steady point guard play and leadership of Jake Whitlock will be a big reason why.