White Shield High School’s Jesse White added yet another accolade to his extensive résumé Saturday night, as the senior was awarded the state’s 2021 “Mr. Basketball” honors in the moments following the final buzzer of the Class B State Championship Game at the Minot State Dome.

The award punctuated an impressive senior season and overall high school career for the 5’11” guard, as White led his squad to new heights during the 2020-21 campaign and collected milestones few even dream of reaching.

With the guidance of head coach Brad Kroupa and assistant coach Sheldon Rush, he gave everything he had to his team and community. Averaging 28 points per game, White led his team to a 12-7 regular-season record and a berth in the District 15 tournament held at Williston State College.

White opened the tournament with a 27-point performance in the Warriors’ 74-61 win over the Williston Trinity Christian Crusaders Feb. 27. In addition to helping his team to the victory, he overtook Newtown’s Ron Waggoner for second place on the all-time North Dakota high school basketball scoring list with his 2,738th career point.

White Shield would go on to defeat Lewis and Clark, North Shore-Plaza by a 70-32 final score two days later, sealing the first district championship in program history. Following two Region 8 tournament wins on March 8 and 9, the Warriors ultimately fell in the title game to the state tournament-bound Powers Lake Ranchers.

Despite his season’s early conclusion, his efforts did not go unnoticed. White ultimately received 80 points on the strength of 14 first-place votes in being named the state’s top high school basketball player this year, according to a KFYR News report. Minot High School’s Deonte’ Martinez finished second to White with five first-place votes.

“It means a lot, for sure,” White said. “Especially coming where I come from, I come from a small town, so this isn’t just for me. This is for my family and the MHA Nation Tribe.”

He credited coaches Kroupa and Rush, as well as his collective support system made up of friends and family, in helping him reach his accolades and current level of play.

“They’ve had a huge impact on me,” he said. “They are what keep me going, they always tell me that I can do better, and I’ve always thought I can do better too, so that pushes me every single day.”

Every time his coaches bring something to his attention that he could stand to improve upon, it only increases his drive to become a better player for his teammates. In turn, he is always looking for ways to pay it forward to the other members of his community and the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation Tribe.

“It’s just always an on-going thing with me trusting the process and always wanting to be better,” White explained. “I have a lot of stuff I would like to do to show young kids in our community as well that they can do too.”

It is an ongoing process for White to stay at the highest level, as he stressed the importance of focus and making sure his mind is in the right place every day and locking in to what the team has to do on the court whether in practice or on gameday.

He has worked at becoming the best player he can be since he made the varsity team in seventh grade, and he was recognized for his toils when he was named to the all-tournament team later that season. White was also added to the all-district team during his eighth grade year, and he never stopped putting in the work.

The senior has no plans to stop playing the game he loves following the conclusion of his high school career. White expressed his desire to continue playing basketball in college, but has not yet made his decision regarding his next destination. He had set his focus on helping his team in the playoffs and will now search for his next destination in the weeks to come.

White will look upon his high school career with fond memories, and remains thankful for all he and his team have been able to accomplish during his tenure with the varsity squad.

“It’s a blessing from God, for sure,” he continued. “I’m really thankful, especially because all the players who were before me were great players as well, so I’m just happy to be where I am. It’s kind of crazy to look back and think of everything and how far I came. I always believed in the place that I lived in in White Shield and I love that community so much, and I’ve enjoyed every year that I’ve been there, for sure.”