On the rise

Barry Henry knows the routine. Every morning, the Audenried High senior hears his alarm clock go off at 5:15, and quickly gets ready so he can make it to the school gym by 6.

Time is of the essence, as the basketball players must arrive before coach Hilderbrand Pelzer.

"It’s rough, but I am used to it," said Henry, of the 2700 block of Sears Street. "I’ve been doing it for four years."

The 6-foot-1 forward knows that missing practices or even showing up 15 minutes late will not be tolerated. Any slip-ups will lead to starting the game on the bench, or even watching in street clothes for more severe violations.

Practicing at daybreak instead of after school might seem like a tough departure from form, but it has its advantages, Pelzer insists.

"Nobody is in the gym but us," the coach said. "We have peace. We get them there in the morning, and they are on time. The evenings are open to them studying and working on their games."

Henry, who joins the rest of his team for an after-practice breakfast, has benefited from the highly disciplined system. He evolved from a varsity freshman "who couldn’t hold the ball" into the Warriors’ top offensive player, averaging a team-high 18.1 points per game. When he arrived at Audenried in the fall of 2001, the teen had no experience playing organized basketball.

"He is the most developed player on the team," Pelzer said. "He has come a long way."

So aware is Henry of his value to the squad that he refuses to be sidelined — even by the flu.

In last Thursday’s 53-50 loss to Southern, the athlete watched the first quarter from the bench so he could get some rest before entering the contest.

He wouldn’t miss the chance to help his Warriors possibly upset the Division D-leading Rams. If Pelzer didn’t mention it after the game, it would’ve been hard to tell that Henry was ailing.

"If he is hurt, he is not going to say anything," the coach said.

The most painful thing Henry has experienced at Audenried is one losing season after another. But this year could be different.

The Warriors head into this afternoon’s game against Girard Academic Music Program with an overall record of 7-5 and a 4-5 mark in Division D play, which puts them in fifth place. If they win their remaining four games, the squad could sneak into the playoffs, but it’ll be difficult.

Still, it’s a world of difference from last season, when Audenried finished 1-14 overall, with the lone win coming via a Southern forfeit. In the three previous years combined, the Warriors had just five wins.

"We’re playing as a team," Henry said, explaining the turnaround. "The last couple years, we’ve really been like individual players. We just listen to what our coach says to do."

Pelzer agrees that the squad has stepped it up.

"I am pleased from the point that they have more hustle and play more like a team," he said.

Still, there’s room for improvement.

Last Thursday, for instance, the Warriors had a legitimate chance of upsetting the undefeated Rams, trailing 52-50 with less than 10 seconds left in the game. Missed foul shots and costly turnovers down the stretch prevented the visitors from picking up their fifth league win.

Despite the loss, Henry praised his team for competing with confidence.

"We played them just like we were undefeated," Henry said. "They’re just like us. We’ve got two arms and two legs just like them."

Henry added that to do better next time, Audenried will need to box out more and listen to their coach.

Progress is a familiar theme for the athlete, who played limited minutes his freshman year. He has steadily improved each year, upping his scoring average from 9.5 points per game as a sophomore to 13.6 last season to 18-plus this year. He recorded a season-high 31 points in the Warriors’ win over Fels, and tallied 18 points or more six times.

The athlete, whose favorite NBA player is Jason Kidd of the New Jersey Nets, said he wants to go to college. Like any other high-school player, Henry is hoping a scholarship offer comes his way. Division II Elizabeth City in North Carolina is one of the schools that has inquired about Henry, Pelzer noted.

"He can play [on the college level] if he works harder on his dribbling, ball-handling and his shot," the coach said.

After Henry ends his career at Audenried, he might be able to hit that snooze button more often, but he believes the lost sleep has been worth the sacrifice. Pelzer’s direction, he said, has been the real wakeup call.

"Everything I do, I give all the credit to my coach," Henry said. "He taught me everything I know."