On April 2, Dariq Whitehead learned the true meaning of life’s peaks and valleys.
Earlier in the day he collected his fourth GEICO Nationals title, leading Montverde (Fla.) Academy past Link Academy (Brandon, Mo.) 60-49.
That emotional high was quelled later that night when Duke fell to rival North Carolina in the Final Four. Whitehead committed to Duke last August and had high hopes of his future team sending Mike Krzyzewski into retirement with his sixth national title.
“It was a bad night,” Whitehead said. “It really was, knowing that they beat us twice that season and then it just added more to it because that was Coach K’s final season.