Catching the ball as she plants her feet behind the three point line, USC Upstate number 33 releases the ball for the shot, but Eagle number 3 does not let it reach the hoop. Soaring through the air is Destinee Jamison-Whitfield, blocking the shot and stealing the ball. She races down the court for an easy, uncontested layup. Jamison-Whitfield’s energetic defense and her teammates’ efforts led to the Eagles defeating the Spartans 52-38 on Jan. 9, 2020.
Sophomore sport management major Jamison-Whitfield is crushing the game. As of Jan. 14, 2020, she is averaging 9.7 points per game with a 46.5 field goal percentage. Her free throws are excellent, averaging 71.4%, and she has a three-pointer percentage of 27.3. Averaging 18.43 minutes per game, she has also succeeded with eight steals, six assists, and 17 rebounds.
In preparation for these games, the 5-foot-10 guard tries to block out all distractions with music to help get herself “in the zone.”
“I strive to be positive on game day because positive thoughts lead to positive actions,” Jamison-Whitfield said.
As a freshman during the 2018-2019 basketball season, Jamison-Whitfield scored a total of 87 points, averaging 4.8 points per game. She earned a, then, career-high 12 points at Gardner-Webb on Jan. 19, 2019.
Crushing the court at an away game against Gardner-Webb on Jan. 6, 2020, Jamison-Whitfield came out with multiple season high records for herself. She scored an astounding 23 points, which included her making three three-pointers. Furthermore, she recorded five rebounds and two assists.
Jamison-Whitfield acknowledges her brothers for getting her involved with the sport she chooses to “wrap her dreams in.”
“[T]hey used to play with me every day and teach me the basics like layups and dribbling and things like that,” Jamison-Whitfield said.
Starting basketball just for fun at only 5 years old, and continuing to play for the majority of her life, Jamison-Whitfield says sports have made her “more patient and disciplined.”
Last season Winthrop ended 10-20, having at most a three–game winning streak. Only half way through the current 2019-20 season, the Eagles have already broken that record, at one point having a four-game winning streak. However, the team has faced some tough losses this season.
“The most challenging game would have been the bigger schools such as Kentucky,” Jamison-Whitfield said.
The University of Kentucky dominated their home court on Dec. 11, 2019, beating the Eagles 91-36.
Even though she loves all athletics, she admits to being “horrible” at soccer. “I want to learn how to play but it is just weird,” Jamison-Whitfield said.
Professionals basketball players Russell Westbrook and Paul George constantly inspire Jamison-Whitfield with their ability and achievements.
“I take a lot of time watching them and seeing how I can improve on my game with the little things that they do,” Jamison-Whitfield said.
If given the choice to play basketball professionally, she “most definitely would not miss out on a great opportunity like that.”
“[T]o this day basketball has become my life and I wouldn’t know what I would do if basketball was taken away from me,” Jamison-Whitfield said.
As of Saturday, Jan. 18, after their game against Radford, the Lady Eagles are overall 7-9 in the 2019-2020 season, but in conference play alone, they are currently 4-3. The next game for Winthrop women’s basketball will be at Charleston Southern on Jan. 25. Their next home game will be against UNC Asheville on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m.
Photo provided by Winthrop Athletics
