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Once Again, Underdog Whitman Makes Trip To Basketball Semifinals

By WTOP Staff

Photos via Alan Goodwin (@Whitprincipal)

In 2006, a Whitman boys basketball team nobody gave much thought to upset Montgomery County power Magruder before shocking an Eleanor Roosevelt team of several Division-I prospects in the state championship game at the Comcast Center.

On Thursday, Coach Chris Lun will have his Vikings back in Comcast — one step away from another surprise Class 4A state title.

“It is similar to 2006 in that no one expected us to be there,” Lun said. “But our team always believed in themselves and we are playing our best basketball of the season at the right time.”

For Lun, it’s a bit of a trip down memory lane. Then, like now, he had a team dedicated to defense and ball movement. Whitman held Roosevelt to 38 points in the 2006 championship game, what longtime Washington Post prep sports writer Josh Barr wrote was “one of the biggest upsets in Maryland tournament history.”

Then, unlike now, Whitman also had a true star player. Senior guard Michael Gruner led Montgomery County in scoring that season with 19.9 points per game. Thanks in large part to the state title — Whitman’s first — Lun was named the Post’s boys Coach of the Year. Gruner was named to the All-Met team.

Some of the other guys on that team: Greivis Vasquez, Georgetown-bound guards Austin Freeman and Chris Wright and a lanky 6-foot-8 forward named Kevin Durant.

Whitman boys basketball coach Chris Lun is in search of his second Class 4A state title, via Whitman AthleticsThe scoring load on this season’s team is more spread out. Josh Fried, a 6-foot-7 senior center, had 19 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in Whitman’s region final win against Clarksburg on Friday. Sophomore guard Kyle Depollar had 16 points and went 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the second half.

Max Steinhorn provides steady play at point guard and Adam Lowet, Ben Castagnetti and Adam Joel are “good program guys,” Lun said. Riley Shaver and Jake Kuhn also contribute in the backcourt.

“To most people, we are probably underdogs at Comcast,” Lun said.

Whitman will play Annapolis at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the first Class 4A semifinal. If Whitman advances, they’ll play the winner of the game between perennial Montgomery County power Springbrook and Henry A. Wise, the Upper Marlboro school ranked No. 3 in the area by the Post.

To get to the region final on Friday, the Vikings on Thursday had to beat division winner Blair, which beat Whitman twice in two close regular season games. The 60-48 win at Blair, a night after barely beating Richard Montgomery, came thanks to a 34-22 second-half advantage.

“It was a very good team performance. We played unselfish and made big time plays in crunch time. It was a big win for us,” Lun said.

With a trip to Comcast coming Thursday, maybe a repeat of eight years ago is in the cards.

“We are going to show up, compete hard, play like a team and see what happens,” Lun said. “I have so much belief in our guys, I’m just proud to coach them and can’t wait for Thursday.”

Photos via Alan Goodwin (@Whitprincipal) and Whitman Athletics

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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