TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Henson Sparks Sickles Comeback

ADVERTISEMENT

By LEE DIEKEMPER

Tribune correspondent

Published: December 3, 2008

TAMPA -- Sickles basketball player Amber Henson is like any smart, charming high school sophomore. She wants to be liked and be popular. Being aggressive and bold is, well, unladylike.

Even the 6-3 frontcourt player admits ladylike attributes may not transfer well to the basketball hardwood.

"I have been kind of taught to come down and take over the game," Henson said in an apprehensive sort of way. My dad has always been preaching to me, 'You have to start the break. When you get the rebound push it.'"

In the second half of Sickles' 55-44 Class 6A-District 7 win against Mitchell on Wednesday, she did. And a little more.

With Sickles trailing 32-26 in the second quarter, Henson helped spark a near 180-degree turnaround. After she scored 5 quick points, including a 3-pointer to end the first half, she and her teammates continued the spurt to complete a 19-5 run in which Henson was all over the floor.

Like her dad taught her, she rebounded and started fastbreaks. She blocked shots. She scored from all over and maybe more importantly, she had tremendous vision to feed open teammates the ball for easy baskets.

By the time Mitchell figured out an answer, it was too late.

"Things starting opening up," Henson said. "I started getting easier shots and then my teammates started getting easier shots and it made the game a whole lot easier."

It appears Henson's dad was right.

"We told her at the half she had to take over," Sickles coach Mark Key said. "It was her game. When she takes over everyone around her plays well.

"Tonight was her best game."

Prior to Henson's spurt which turned the game, it appeared Mitchell (4-1, 2-1 6A-7) would walk away with a win. Using strong backcourt play and heads-up defense, had taken a 32-26 lead when Leighlani Paselio hit a shot from the left baseline after being fed by Andrea Kosmalski.

When Mitchell's Lashe Kirkland hit an improbably leaning shot off the glass near the baseline for a 34-30 Mitchell lead late in the third, Sickles (4-1, 3-1) would hold Mitchell scoreless for nearly three minutes while the host Gryphons took a 41-34 when Henson started a fastbreak to Brei Crum who found Rachel Smith alone under the basket.

"It was being outworked, that's all that was," Mitchell coach Jacob Tavo said of Henson's play. "It was five girls outworking five girls."

MITCHELL (44)—O'Connor 1 0-0 2, Lat. Kirkland 2 2-4 7, O'Brien 4 1-5 11, Corbitt 1 0-0 3, Las. Kirkland 5 1-3 12, Paselio 5 0-0 11. Totals 18 4-12 44.

SICKLES (55)—Crum 5 3-5 13, Botts 4 0-0 8, Henson 7 4-7 19, Smith 2 4-8 8, Fernandez 0 1-3 1, Sarrow 2 0-0 4. Totals 21 12-24 55.

Mitchell 14 - 11 - 9 - 10 — 44
Sickles 16 - 5 - 14 - 20 — 55

3-point goals—O'Brien 2, Lat. Kirkland, Corbitt, Las Kirkland, Paselio (M); Henson (S). Total fouls—M 19, S 13. Records— M 4-1, S 4-1.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT