West Chester Henderson’s Whitney Evans follows in sister’s footsteps as a ‘student of the game’

The West Chester Henderson girls’ basketball team sat in the bleachers waiting for Whitney Evans.

When she started heading their way after a postgame interview against West Chester East on Jan. 18, the team broke into a chant: “What’s the key? Whit-ney!”

The Warriors senior guard is in her fourth year at the varsity level. Evans and her teammates know her importance to a squad that has heightened expectations in her final season.

“When I think of Whitney, I think of one of the nicest kids ever,” said West Chester Henderson coach Greta Neff. “She’s selfless. ... Her teammates obviously love her, and she’s just a student of the game. She understands the game and is passionate about it. She works real hard. She just is a real neat kid to have around.”

Evans arrived at Henderson in 2020-21 to team with a group of experienced upperclassmen, including Molly Manion, who is now a junior at Merrimack.

During her sophomore season, Evans averaged 15 points and earned all-league honorable mention. Last year, she was one of the best players in the Ches-Mont League as a first team all-league pick.

Evans came back this season, alongside classmate Jackie Shea, ready to play the role as the leaders in their senior class.

“Before, I had a bunch of seniors who I was playing with,” Evans said. “Now, I’m playing with people in my class and younger. It’s been a good learning experience for me to be a leader and to help people grow.”

Neff has spent the last two decades coaching in the Ches-Mont League, first at Downingtown West before taking the job at Henderson, and has been at the helm for the last 10 seasons. She saw Whitney’s older sister, Shante Evans, play when Neff was coaching the Whippets.

When Neff took over at Henderson, where she also coaches volleyball, one of Shante’s former teammates, Katie Armstrong, let her know another Evans was on the way.

“I went to all [Shante’s] games even before I can remember,” Whitney said. “So I’ve been around basketball for my whole life.”

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Shante, a 2009 graduate, tallied 2,168 points at Henderson before an All-American career at Hofstra. She was the first girls’ 1,000-point scorer in program history. Whitney, a 5-foot-5 point guard, wasn’t blessed with the same height as her 6-1 sister, but she entered the program with aspirations of her own.

She checked off one of those goals on Jan. 14 when she joined the 1,000-point club during a win over Kennett High School, scoring a career-high 36 points in the victory. Her older sister was among those in attendance.

“It was pretty cool,” Whitney said. “She actually got to be there, so it was great. It was a big win for us, too, so I’m glad that I could get it at home, too.”

The Warriors went 11-8 during Evans’ freshman campaign, ending their season in the first round of the District 1 Class 6A tournament. The 2021-22 season was a down year for Henderson at 7-13, but the Warriors returned to the postseason in 2022-23 with a 14-8 mark.

However, a five-point first-round loss to Central Bucks East in the District 1 tournament concluded their season early again.

Evans has her eyes on leading her squad to an extended postseason trip this year. The Warriors (9-5) are right in the league playoff picture in the bunched-up Ches-Mont National standings.

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A recent winning streak has them closing in on a potential home game and first-round bye in the district playoffs, which would help the Warriors’ chances for a coveted postseason run — something Evans and her classmates haven’t experienced in their four years.

“We’re working really hard for that,” Evans said. “I would really love to be in both environments.

“We have a couple seniors and juniors who have been playing varsity for pretty long. … Everybody’s in reach right now.”

This story was produced as part of a partnership between The Inquirer and City of Basketball Love, a nonprofit news organization that covers high school and college basketball in the Philadelphia area while also helping mentor the next generation of sportswriters. This collaboration will help boost coverage of the city’s vibrant amateur basketball scene, from the high school ranks up through the Big 5 and beyond.