Fast rising Henry gets Illini offer

By Joe Henricksen

The rise of standout junior Mycheal Henry of Orr continues. Although Orr was bounced out of the Class 3A playoffs Friday night in a loss to St. Joseph, Henry, the No. 3 ranked player in the Hoops Report Class of 2011 player rankings, walked out knowing he had added another Big Ten offer as Illinois offered the athletic 6-6 wing. Wisconsin jumped in headfirst three weeks ago with an offer for Henry.

Henry, somewhat quietly, put together a huge first half of the season for Orr. Following a stellar December, the Hoops Report moved Henry up the player rankings as he landed among the top 10 players heading into January. Wisconsin, Illinois and several others, including Georgetown, became heavily involved prior to Henry’s national reputation getting bigger. We will see if that is a factor down the road as his recruiting picks up.

Henry has combined the raw talent and upside he showed last summer and become one of the most productive players in the junior class, averaging 28 points a game. He has shown everyone he is more than an athlete with an impressive body. Henry can stroke it while also being a solid finisher around the basket. The final piece to the puzzle for Henry is the ability to consistently put the ball on the floor and get it done off the bounce.