Good player, awful team

Knowing the area where Henry is located, and the quality of the teams and players in that area, I'd pass on the story this season, but keep her on the radar for next season and beyond. If she's averaging nearly a triple-double as a freshman, she's probably pretty good, and probably the only legitimate scorer on her team. The "story" may not develop until she's a junior or senior, if the team makes improvements over that period with her carrying the load. No sense in rushing into it now.

 

In Arlington, Texas a number of years ago, Bowie High School had this do-everything kid who was the leading rusher, passer and close to the leading receiver on a bad football team. Star-Telegram did a number of features on him during his career.

Kid's name was Vernon Wells III.

 

Wouldn't it be tough for a high school team with the next Dawn Staley to go an ugly 0-10? Think how much one dominant player can mean at that level.

 

She might be the world's next Pranav Dhanawade.

 

When I was in high school, our football team went nearly two years without winning a game. The quarterback, though, went on to become a second-round NFL draft pick as a receiver and hung around the league for a few years.

 

I assume the near triple-double doesn't involve assists?

 

Probably steals, although I guess it could be turnovers.

 

Or blocks, if you had a pituitary gland special.

 

I covered a game in which the eminently forgettable Dave "Pooch" Kowalski of Georgia Tech committed 11 turnovers. By himself.

 

Come to think of it, didn't Pearl Washington once have 11 turnovers in an NCAA tournament game?

 

I've been covering high school basketball for almost 20 years, and I think I can count on one hand the number of triple-doubles I've seen in person. All of them were in girls games and the last one was seven or eight years ago. We've had some good teams in our area that play good large-school opponents, too. It's pretty damn rare in high school. To be averaging a near triple-double, I'd want to see some math.
Especially if this team is 0-10. That means nobody else is hitting shots, which means this girl isn't getting any assists. Blocks and steals are hard to come by as it is. If you get five of those a game it's noteworthy. There's a girl in our area who's a great all-around point forward and a threat for a triple-double -- and even a quadruple-double -- on any given night, even though she's on a .500 team. Even she's nowhere close to averaging that, though.

 

I almost did see a legitimate quadruple-double once. Outstanding girls player against a pretty bad private school team. I was statting it myself and I think she came up two steals short. If I was more generous I would have given it to her. A couple of times the other team dribbled off their foot or clearly lost the ball, and Jane Superstar picked up the loose ball. Clearly a turnover, but questionable whether it was a steal because she wasn't pressuring her opponent.