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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 21, 2008

Sickles Gets 5-Star Basketball Recruit

For the Sickles varsity boys basketball program, it was a one-in-a-million chance.

"More like one in two million," Coach Renaldo Garcia said.

But in walks 6-foot-10 power forward and five-star recruit John Henson from Round Rock, Texas, during orientation last week with plans to enroll. Instantaneously, Sickles basketball will be one the best in the state this year.

Garcia confirmed that Henson, who already has committed to North Carolina, has enrolled at Sickles after his family decided to move to Tampa for job purposes.

"They came down last week for open house," he said. "They're getting a home in our district."

With Henson, Sickles, which consistently has been in the playoffs, has a chance at advancing to the state tournament. The Gryphons haven't advanced past the Class 6A region semifinals since the school opened. Last year, they were eliminated by Plant City in the quarterfinals.

"I don't want to get ahead of myself," Garcia said.

"We still have to develop chemistry."

Along with his huge frame, Henson brings a 24-point-per-game average. As a team last season, Sickles averaged 52.5 points per game.

Since word got out that Henson was coming to Tampa, Garcia said he has received numerous invitations from some of the most prestigious tournaments in the state, as well as from other parts of the country.

"They want to see him," he said.

Sickles defended its 6A-District 7 title and finished 21-7 last year. They return junior point guard and rising recruit Jordan Davis, who already has received interest from Miami.

Garcia said Henson never went to the state tournament with Round Rock High School, or never even won a district title for that matter.

"The level of competition there is incredible," he said.

ARMWOOD RANKED BY USA TODAY: Armwood's football team picked up another national ranking, this time from the good folks at USA Today.

The paper's Super 25 has the Hawks ranked No. 8 in the nation.

Armwood is the second-highest ranked team from Florida and one of three from the state in the initial poll along with No. 6 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas and No. 14 Madison County. South Carolina's Byrnes High holds the No..1 spot.

Armwood has been ranked in three other national polls - PrepNation.com National Prep Poll (No. 8), ESPNRISE.com Fab 50 (No. 14) and RivalsHigh 100 (No. 2).

Adam, Adkins, Nick Williams

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