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If Bentonville West girls basketball coach Randy Richardson could change anything about Ashaundi Henry, the first thing he would probably do is find a way to make her taller. The Lady Wolverines' starting junior point guard only stands 5 feet tall and is dwarfed by most of the other players in the 7A-West Conference. The lack of height, however, that doesn't stop her from dribbling into the lane and putting up shots against much taller players. "I drive all the time," Henry said. "I don't really take my shot all the time, but I do everything I can. I drive, I get to the free-throw line -- I just do all the stuff that a normal person would do." Richardson, a longtime assistant at Bentonville High before becoming West's first head coach, had noticed Henry's style of play as she came up through the junior high ranks, then at Bentonville last year. He has watched as Henry's perimeter game began to develop and improve this season, where in the past she strictly enjoyed slashing to the basket. But Henry still has that desire to get near the basket and either shoot -- sometimes using a unique two-hand shot not normally done by other players -- or get fouled and go to the free-throw line, where she has enjoyed some success this season. "The first thing that comes to my mind about her is a Timex watch," Richardson said. "Man, she tends to take a beating and keeps on going. She a tough kid. She's not a very big kid, either. If she was about 5-8, that would definitely help. "Now she doesn't hesitate as much when she's shooting from the perimeter, so that's evolved. I've also seen her confidence level higher. When you're playing a bunch of kids that have never played at the varsity level. you need kids to step up with confidence, and she has done it at that level." Henry had an instrumental role in West's first 7A-West Conference victory, a 60-53 decision Jan. 20 at Rogers Heritage. The Lady Wolverines led 37-26 to start the fourth quarter, but they would have to earn the victory at the free-throw line. That's where Henry became so vital since the Lady War Eagles had utilized a full-court press. She finished that game hitting 15 of 16 free throws -- a perfect 12-for-12 in the final eight minutes -- and not only preserved the victory, but she wound up leading West in scoring that night. "I just felt like we had the game," Henry said. "I was going to fight for our team and do this for my team. "Some nights, I'm not that good of a free-throw shooter, but that night it just happened. I just zoned everything else out and just focused." She has also assumed the duties as West's floor leader, where she will direct her teammates into the proper places on certain offensive plays -- a duty that Richardson has noticed a lot. "I told her a few times that she serves as the heart of the team," Richardson said. "I've asked her to step up and be a thermostat -- to set the temperature of the team. "Sometimes, young players don't know to receive that because I've asked her to go ahead and get on to other kids. Sometimes our other kids don't know how to react, and being a young team, they tend to get a little jealous or offended. She's sort of like E.F. Hutton; she doesn't say much, but when she does people tend to listen."

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Bentonville Sports Network

WEST'S HENRY SHORT IN STATURE, BIG ON LEADERS

HENRY APPLE

Northwest Arkansas democrat Gazette | 2/13/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Goff