At 7-0, Withey just scratching the surface
- 09-13-2007
- By Tom Shanahan, San Diego Hall of Champions
Jeff Withey's senior year of high school has started, and that represents a couple of milestones for the 7-footer from San Diego's Horizon High.
One, like any senior athlete, it means he's down to his final year. He's hoping to match the CIF State Division IV title the Panthers won when he was a sophomore and his role was to support older team leaders. Now he's the man.
Two, like any 7-footer with a college future, he's one year closer to playing "real basketball." When you're a 7-foot prep being double- and tripled-team by 6-3 high school kids chopping you at the knees, it doesn't always seem as if what you're playing is basketball.
"I have no idea what it's called, but it's not basketball," Withey, who has given Arizona an oral commitment after earlier giving one to Louisville, said with a laugh. "It gets frustrating; it's more of a guard game. When I catch the ball, I have to pass it right back out because I have three guys running at me. I try to get my rebounds, play defense, and, if I'm lucky, I get an occasional one-on-one."
Similar to a famous athlete that comes away with pen marks from a mob of autograph seekers tattooing his shirt, Withey has his own distinguishing marks after games that attest it's not as easy as it looks for a high school 7-footer.
"He comes home with scratches all over his arms," said Withey's mother, Debbie. "But he's learning to keep his elbows wide."
Withey's best game of his career came as a sophomore in the CIF Southern California Division IV final when he outplayed two 7-footers, Brook and Robin Lopez of San Joaquin Memorial. They were McDonald's All-Americans now entering their sophomore seasons at Stanford.
"I look forward to playing against guys my size," said Withey, adding that was one of the benefits of a busy summer of travel ball and shoe company sponsored camps and tournaments. "It's a bigger challenge for me, and I have to step up my game. It's real basketball."
As a junior, Withey averaged 14.8 points, 13.0 rebounds, 7.0 blocks and 2.7 assists. His modest scoring average hasn't prevented him from being ranked as one of the nation's best big men since his sophomore year.
A year ago he committed to Louisville, but he changed his mind earlier this summer in order to be closer to home.
"I had been thinking about Arizona earlier, but I think I got caught up in the East Coast basketball TV exposure," Withey said. "In the past year, my grandmother (Grace Withey) has had to move into our home (for health reasons). I wanted to be closer to home, and I started looking at the Pac-10."
Grace Withey has been keeping a scrapbook for Jeff, and, according to Jeff's mother, when she's out in public and people recognize her surname, she enjoys telling people, "Yes, that's my grandson."
To prepare for his senior year, Jeff has focused on adding strength, weight and agility. He's up to 225 pounds and hopes to be 245-250 by college.
He has been working with North County personal trainer Trent Suzuki. This summer's workouts began at 6 a.m. and a partner was another Suzuki client, Chase Budinger, the 2006 McDonald's All-American and CalHiSports.com Mr. Basketball from La Costa Canyon High that is now entering his sophomore year at Arizona.
"People expect a lot of 7-foot guys, but big men have to grow into their bodies and they develop later than wing players," Suzuki said. "We've worked on core strength, playing with his knees lower to the ground and ball handling. In my mind, Jeff hasn't even scratched his upside. He runs well and can get out on the break. We have point guards working out with us, and when we run, he's up in front with them."
In addition, with physical maturity has come a stronger mental game.
"It was a lot harder my freshman and sophomore years," said Withey, who grew from 6-2 in eighth grade to 6-8 as a freshman. "As a freshman, you don't know what to expect and you're playing against seniors. But (former Horizon) Coach (Zack) Jones kept encouraging me. My sophomore year I started gaining weight. That's when Coach (Waheed) Mitchell took over."
Mitchell's staff included 6-foot-7 Tyrone Hoffman, who played professionally overseas.
"He would beat me up pretty good," Withey said. "That was a big part of my success as a sophomore."
Withey is a two-time San Diego All-CIF selection, although being relegated to the second team by the voters as a junior might have been the best example of a 7-footer's statistics being judged by different standards from other players. CalHiSports.com named Withey to the All-State Junior and Division IV teams.
"What I'm most pleased with is Jeff continues to want to get better," Suzuki said. "That's a demand I put on my clients; they have to want to go get it instead of letting the game come to them. He understands he's been given gifts and he wants to maximize them."
Tom Shanahan can be contacted at 619-699-2334 or toms@sdhoc.com.
