TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Sickles' Henson Named McDonald's All-American

Tribune file photo by KEVIN HOWE

The awards keep rolling in for Sickles senior and North Carolina signee standout John Henson (right).

ADVERTISEMENT

By NICK WILLIAMS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 19, 2009

John Henson remembers watching then-high school star Carmelo Anthony play the McDonald's All-American Game on television and fantasizing about one day being a part of the elite event.

"I was like, 'That would be something I'd love to do,'" Henson said.

Wednesday, his dream came true. The Sickles High senior center and North Carolina signee was named a McDonald's All-American and will play for the West All-Stars in the All-Star Game on April 1 at the Bank United Center in Miami.

"Now I'm in it," Henson said. "I'm going to be that guy kids are going to look at."

Henson, rated the third-best player in America by ESPN, becomes the first player from Hillsborough County to receive the honor since former Tampa Prep center Casey Sanders in 1999. Former Brandon High and Florida Gators center Dwayne Schintzius was named a McDonald's All-American in 1986.

North Carolina's top recruit is averaging 17.7 points, 12.3 rebounds and 6.1 blocks per game for Sickles, the fifth-ranked team in the state's Class 6A poll.

Past McDonald's All-Americans include NBA All-Stars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James and former NBA greats Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

USA Basketball announced Tuesday it had selected Henson to the USA Men's Junior National Select Team. The team, featuring nine of the top 25 high school seniors in the nation, will compete in the 12th annual Nike Hoop Summit and will play World Select, a team comprised of the top international players, 19 years old or younger, at the Rose Garden in Portland on April 11.

Last week, he was invited to play in the Jordan Brand All-Star Game on April 18 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

"It's a great feeling," Henson said. "It's a reward for all of the hard work you've put in."

The 6-foot-10, 200-pound center moved to Tampa in August from Round Rock, Texas, when his father relocated to the Bay area for a human resources job. His junior season at Round Rock High, he averaged 25 points and 11 rebounds per game.

Sickles will host Sarasota Riverview in the Class 6A-Region 2 quarterfinals tonight at 7.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT