By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Robert Whaley takes a shot during play in the Deveroes Summer League at Oak Hills High School. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

For teammates who are just getting to know one another on and off the court, James White, Robert Whaley and Mike Pilgrim seem to be having a pretty good time.

They represent three-fifths of the University of Cincinnati's incoming recruiting class and provided an estimated 500 fans an impressive season preview Tuesday in the Deveroes Summer League at Oak Hills High School.

Cincinnati's other two recruits are not playing the summer league. Nick Williams is nursing a broken foot and Asrangue Souleymane has not arrived in Cincinnati yet.

But the three who are playing could give Slats, a team filled with primarily UC players, enough offense to make some noise in the tournament that begins Sunday.

Whaley, a 6-foot-10 center, played in his first summer-league game Tuesday after his arrival in Cincinnati was delayed by legal problems that centered on assault charges brought against him in Barton County, Kan. While Whaley put up 15 points in his public debut, White overshadowed him with 34 points, including three high-flying dunks and three 3-pointers.

"I knew a lot of people were coming to see me," Whaley said. "Not to make excuses, but the weights have kept me down. I've been hitting the weight room hard, and I can't jump, and my shot is all off."

White had no such problems and quickly became a crowd favorite. When he wasn't scoring, White played to the crowd, smiling and clapping to acknowledge applause. Judging by the autograph line after Slats defeated Harmon, Davis & Associates 91-82, he will be one of UC's most popular players.

"That's what basketball is about," said White, who will be a sophomore at UC after transferring from Florida. "If you don't enjoy it, you shouldn't play. Things like this summer league are about getting better and having fun.

"It feels good, because I don't know if people understand how good we'll be next year."

White feels confident enough to make that statement because he has been practicing with UC players since January and knows the system. Whaley and Pilgrim are just getting used to it. Pilgrim is a former Purcell Marian player who played a year of prep ball at Brewster (N.H.) Academy and will compete for playing time down low next season.

"I'm finally with basketball players that know how to play," Pilgrim said of summer-league experience. "Being the only freshman playing right now, it's a joy playing against future pro players."

Last week, Whaley, a junior, said he would stay at UC just one year before turning pro. He backed off those comments Tuesday, saying he would see what the upcoming season brings before making a decision.

"Everybody has goals," White said. "(Whaley) will have a chance to go pro. Hopefully that's everybody's goal."

Next season comes first. If Tuesday was any indication, White won't have many problems fitting into UC's rotation. In the closing seconds of Tuesday's game, Cincinnati point guard Chadd Moore led a three-on-one fast break. The crowd anticipated a quick pass to White for another show-stopping dunk. Instead, Moore threw the ball off the backboard from the free throw line and watched White come in from the side, grab the ball out of the air and throw it down just before the buzzer sounded.

"When he came and practiced with us, he was always on the same team as me," Moore said. "Now I know his favorite spots on the floor.

"Ain't nothing like giving the fans a show - when you can do it."

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E-mail ddow@enquirer.com