Lucas-White looking to bring the title back to Augusta for his No. 1 fan
By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Darren Lucas-White, a junior on the Augusta University men’s team, is known for being one of the fiercest, most effective defensive players in NCAA Division II basketball.
When he is on the court, he is looking to overwhelm his opponent with his speed and tenacity, but while he is off the court, he is just any ordinary person with a big heart.
“When you’re on the court, the mentality is you just got to ‘Kill, kill, kill,’ and you can’t let nobody kill you,” White said. “I just have a good motive when I am playing against people. I don’t let people take the best of me. I am just confident and competitive every time.
The 22-year-old from Capitol Heights, Md., said he was not always known for playing good defense and he became more of a lockdown defender when he came to Augusta.
“In high school I didn’t play that much defense, but I came across Miguel Arnold,” Lucas-White said. “He definitely impacted my defense a lot because when I came on my visit, he was killing me, so I took it upon myself to take some pride in defense and ever since then I have just been locking a lot of people up. It’s a competitive thing because I don’t want to be scored on.”
While he is a very talented basketball player and an elite defender, he comes off the bench for AU, but has been a key piece in the Jaguars’ national championship run.
“You have to understand your role and what is best for the team,” he said. “Me coming off the bench is really best for the team because the starters have lack of energy in some games, and I just come in and push the tempo a little on defense or even offensive end. So I accept my role as best as I can and for my four years being here, I think I have done a great job.”
Even though White is not a starter and not the most well known player on the team, he still has many fans around Augusta, one being his so called “No. 1 fan,” Phin Towler.
Brook Towler, an accountant in the AU Business Office, is the mother of a 9-year-old boy named Phin. Towler said her parents got her going to the Jaguars’ basketball games and she now brings along her family.
“My dad and mom are the ones who got us all interested in going to AU basketball games,” she said. “They graduated from AU when it was Augusta College and have always gone to the games. The first game my son went to was in 2018, and he was hooked.”
Lucas-White said he noticed Phin at a home game early this season against Columbus State, and he just couldn’t stop smiling on the court.
“I saw him with my fat head (sign), and I was just smiling on the court and then after the game he came up to me and told me how he was my No. 1 fan,” Lucas-White said. “That kind of sparked my heart seeing somebody that I am inspiring to play basketball or just being a good person in general. That just brought a whole joy to my heart, and I really appreciate him for having the courage to come up to me and tell that because a lot of people don’t have the courage to do that.”
Towler said Phin chose Darren as his favorite player because of the effort he puts in on the court.
“Phin has loved watching Darren since he began playing for AU,” she said. “Phin said Darren was his favorite player because he played so hard and never gave up. He is always hustling and helping his team.”
Jackie Lucas, Darren’s mother, wanted to meet Phin and thank him for all the support he has given to her son. They eventually met at one of the games, and Phin was even able to meet his favorite player after the game.
“Phin loved meeting Ms. Jackie and was excited that he was going to get to meet Darren after the game,” Towler said. “Phin got to meet Darren that night after the game and they took a picture together with the big head. It was very sweet of Darren to take time to make a kid’s dream come true!”
Lucas-White even gave Phin some of his own basketball shoes and signed them. Lucas-White’s mother also sent Phin a poster and a picture of him and Darren.
“Phin was super excited when he received these items,” said Towler. “He wrote a thank-you note to Ms. Jackie thanking her for the special gifts she sent him. We have already framed the poster and it is in his room. Phin was in shock on the way home he kept saying, ‘I cannot believe I got Darren Lucas-White’s shoes!’”
Lucas-White is happy to connect with a young fan.
“I remember I use to be one of those kids,” Lucas-White. “When I use to watch other people on TV, I wish I could be there for someone and tell them I am there No. 1 fan. I am just happy I did it. I just want to see other people happy.”
Augusta is now looking to bring home the first men’s basketball national championship in school history. The Jaguars will play Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the Final Four game on Thursday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. (EDT) at the Ford Center. The game will be telecast on CBS Sports Network. The winner will advance to play for the national championship on Saturday, March 26, at 3 p.m. The final will be televised by CBS Sports.
“We would be thrilled to see Darren and AU win the national title,” Towler said. “Phin went on Sunday to send the team off and got to tell Darren good luck. We wish we would have been able to make it to Evansville to watch them play in the Elite 8, but we will be watching at home cheering them on.”
Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.
Darren Lucas-White is a solid offensive performer for the Jaguars but is more known for being a defensive nightmare for the opposition. (staff photo) At the top of the page, Lucas-White goes up for two points in the national quarterfinal against Chico State. (photo by Madison Keel)
Augusta University guard Darren Lucas-White and his top fan, Phin Towler. (special to the Bell Ringer)
