In its 74-71 win over Richard Montgomery on Tuesday night in Rockville, Whitman shot 27 three-pointers, making 11. It was the seventh straight road win for the Vikings (13-3).
They did so against a Rockets team that also plays an up-tempo style, leading to a shootout in which four players scored more than 20 points and both squads went on runs.
Whitman trailed for most of the game but surged across the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth to create an 11-point lead with just under four minutes left. The Rockets (10-6), showcasing their own quick-strike capability, had four chances to tie the game but missed each time.
“We were just proud that our guys were able to withstand that rally,” Whitman Coach Chris Lun said. “ … We kind of got lucky. They had some second-chance opportunities. But we were contesting the shots that made it tough.”
Last season’s Vikings, who fell in a region semifinal, had talented shooters but didn’t play this fast. Lun made the switch after watching several college teams struggle against half-court defenses over the offseason.
The scheme has opened up the floor for players such as senior guard Thomas Farrell, who scored 15 of his 22 points on three-pointers against Richard Montgomery.
Most of them came on possessions in which, outside of the final shot, he scarcely touched the ball. Instead of dribbling, Farrell spent most of his time weaving around the court, trying to free himself amid a swarm of picks.
Upon receiving a pass, he sets quickly before shooting.
“Once teams notice me as a shooter, I know I have to get my shots off quick … split-seconds when I’m open,” Farrell said, punctuating the need for haste with a pair of snaps. “I got to do a good job getting shots up.”
The shooting provided by Farrell and junior Hayden Walsh, who scored all 12 of his points on three-pointers, opens up opportunities for teammates. Junior guard Evan Brown, who scored a career-high 24 points Monday night, broke that personal record with 27 against the Rockets.
“Other teams have been so concerned about Thomas and Hayden shooting threes that it really opens up the paint … when you have a good team and you’re trying to beat other good teams, guys need to step up,” Lun said. “And Evan certainly did for us tonight.”