Whiten likely out for season

Dawin Whiten, a starting guard for the Cal Poly men’s basketball team, will likely miss the rest of the season due to foot injuries, Cal Poly head coach Kevin Bromley said Monday.

The senior, who has started 18 of the Mustangs’ 20 games this season, is suffering from plantar fasciitis in his right foot and may require surgery soon, Bromley said.

The condition is an overuse injury that causes severe pain in the heel after the band of tissue connecting the heel bone to the base of the toes has been inflamed.

“For all intents and purposes, he’s probably done for the season, unless a miracle happens in the next few days,” Bromley said. “He’s got a lot of issues going on in his (right) foot.”

Among them, Bromley explained, in addition to the plantar fasciitis, are a bone-on-bone condition and a bone spur. He also has a dislocated toe on his left foot, Bromley said.

Whiten, who now ranks 12th on Cal Poly’s all-time scoring list with 1,104 career points, convened with Bromley and others Monday in the Cal Poly training room, Bromley said, where they “discussed a lot of different options” with the team doctor, who advised surgery for the plantar fasciitis.

His chronic ailments, which have “gone on since 2006,” have “gotten worse than better,” Bromley said, adding, “The young man can’t walk around campus right now without being in pain.”

While Bromley said “right now it’s kind of a week-to-week thing” and ultimately the decision is Whiten’s, he reiterated he expects his four-year starter’s season to be over.

“This kind of started chronically almost a year-and-a-half ago, and hasn’t seemed to get any better,” Bromley said.

The injuries, according to Bromley, have clearly affected his “worn out” guard’s play.

After being named to the All-Big West Conference Second Team as a junior, Whiten has shot a career-worst 30.4 percent from the floor while averaging 8.3 points per outing, also a career low.

“His play over the last month has somewhat regressed, although he’s been an absolute warrior in trying to play through the pain,” Bromley said. “But chronic pain is the real deal and it’s kind of worn him down, and his will down a little bit. Physically, he just can’t go how he wants to go.”

Several guards figure to be given the opportunity to make up for Whiten’s potential absence, starting with Lorenzo Keeler, who has started three straight games as is, including a 62-58 loss at UC Riverside on Saturday, when Whiten didn’t play.

“Losing him is a huge blow for us,” Keeler said. “He’s a leader, one of our best defensive players and an offensive threat. He brings a lot to the table – losing him is huge. A lot of people’s roles have got to go up.”

Bromley agreed and clarified opportunities would be available for a cast of contributors.

“There are minutes there to be grabbed,” Bromley said, adding that practices will determine how the void could be filled. “How I do it as a coach is, ‘Hey, guys, there’s 24, 25 minutes to be played – who’s going to step up to the plate? . Somebody’s loss is somebody else’s opportunity in life.”

Whiten, a North Hills native, is still “kind of going back and forth a little bit,” Bromley said, despite emphasizing the likelihood that he is “probably done for the year.”

Bromley said Whiten spoke of concerns about how his possibly coming back in weeks after rest and rehabilitation could adversely affect team chemistry and rhythm that may have been carved out while trying to replace his production.

Another wing whose playing time could increase could be freshman Shawn Lewis, who has averaged 3.6 points in 11.5 minutes of action per game this season.

While Lewis says he’s “definitely up for the challenge” and is “excited to have a bigger role,” he added the timing of Whiten’s injuries makes the loss even more unfortunate.

“He’s a strong, strong player,” Lewis said. “(The chronic injuries) just really got to him this time.”

Keeler, who said he’s known Whiten, a Monroe High alumnus, since his early prep days when they played on the same AAU team, suggested his friend’s absence could serve as extra motivation for the Mustangs as they try to revitalize their 8-12 season.

“He had a great career here – it’s his senior year and he wants so bad to finish out the year, but it’s such unbearable pain,” Keeler said. “As a team, we’ve got to do what we can to succeed. Dawin would want that. We’ve got to try to win, especially for him.”