HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: HENDERSON OFF TO DOMINANT START AS SOPHOMORES ACROSS THE AREA TAKE ON BIG ROLES (January 3, 2022)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
It can be hard for a young player to take a big role on a veteran team.

The Corning Hawks are an experienced basketball team.

The starting lineup features four returning players, two seniors and two juniors.

Three returning starters were back this year, and two others who saw considerable playing time returned this season.

But, there they were in the season opener with Isaiah Henderson putting on a show in his first varsity game. Henderson had 26 points and added five rebounds as Corning started the year off with a victory.

Here the Hawks are, beginning 2022 and they are unbeaten on the season and the sophomore is a big part of the reason why.

Henderson has an area-best 104 points in five games this year, putting up more than 20 points a contest to help lead Corning to a 5-0 start.

“At the beginning of the season he (coach Mike Johnston Jr.) told me what he needed from me and I just had to fulfill that role,” Henderson said.

That’s exactly what the sophomore has done as he’s been everything the Hawks could have asked for, and more, this season.

“It’s really exciting,” Henderson said of the start of the season. “I feel comfortable with the team, they have trust in me and I have trust in them. It goes both way.”

All the experience on the Hawks roster is a big help for the sophomore guard.

“It’s great, I can always depend on them, and they can depend on me and we get along together with that chemistry,” Henderson said.

After the big start to the season Henderson is starting to see teams key in on him more.

“They face guard a lot more,” Henderson said.

The extra attention can be tough, but Henderson has made adjustments and he has a veteran team that makes things easier.

“It’s hard, but we just have to make little adjustments,” Henderson said. “Like setting more screens and changing up our plays a little bit so they can’t catch on.”

In a game against Vestal, which Corning rallied to win by one, Henderson hit two long threes in the final 25 seconds to help the Hawks come back.

In moments like that Henderson started to gain more and more confidence in his game.

“They just told me to keep shooting, and I did,” Henderson said. “I just have to stay humble and keep winning.”

While it can be tough stepping into the varsity level for the first time, Henderson is helped by the fact that he’s played with so many of the area players in AAU ball.

“You know what they do, what they normally are going to do and things that make them uncomfortable,” Henderson said.

And, playing with a lot of the kids in travel ball made the transition to varsity that much easier.

“When I came on the team we already had chemistry,” Henderson said. “We were already playing together before, so it wasn’t anything new.”

As the season has gone on Henderson has been able to pick the brain of the upperclassmen whenever he needs something.

“I feel like I can depend on them at all times,” Henderson said. “I know they have my back and I’ve got theirs.”

And, having experienced players around him just makes Henderson better.

With Jackson Casey running the offense, Henderson knows he will get the ball in good positions to score.

“He’s just a great leader and a great player,” Henderson said.

SOPHOMORES TAKE CENTER STAGE
Henderson joins a long list of talented sophomore basketball players in the area this year.

All but one team in the area has a sophomore having an impact on their varsity team, and sophomores make up some of the best players in the league.

In fact, for the boys not only is Henderson, Corning’s leading scorer, a sophomore, but the second and third leading scorers for Horseheads, who are also unbeaten, are both sophomores.

On the girls side a sophomore — Horseheads’ Sophia Bonnell — has the most threes of any area player in the area this year with eight and Bonnell and Edison’s Payton Littlefield are among the top scorers in the area.

An all-star team full of sophomores could play with any team in the region. Let’s have a little fun and look at what a sophomore all-star team might look like.

BOYS
ISAIAH HENDERSON, CORNING:
The area’s leading boys’ scorer, Henderson is putting up more than 20 points a game for the unbeaten Hawks this year.

His season started with 26 points in his first varsity game against Binghamton.

The 6-foot, 4-inch sophomore has been a force offensively all season for the Hawks.

ALEX DAUGHERTY, HORSEHEADS:
Had a big 19-point game earlier this year at the Bishop Kearney Tournament, including some clutch free throws late in the game.

JEREMY TRUAX, HORSEHEADS:
Has been one of the key scorers for the Blue Raiders this year, and had 22 points in the season opener against Vestal to lead the team.


Had an eight-point game against East Rochester. Had five points the previous game, scoring 13 points over two games at the Bishop Kearney Holiday Tournament.

TYRE DANIEL, ELMIRA:
Has been another player taking on a bigger role for the Elmira boys.

Finished with seven points in a game against East Rochester for the Express. Had five points in the previous game as he scored 12 points in the Bishop Kearney tournament over two games.

BENCH:
BLAKE COBB, EDISON:
Has been a key player for the Spartans this year.

He’s been a strong contributor all season for the Edison boys.

JOHNNIE GARCIA, ELMIRA:
Another player who is taking on a bigger role off the bench for Elmira.

Came on strong in football and is doing the same in basketball. He had five points in back-to-back games at the Bishop Kearney Tournament.

GIRLS
PAYTON LITTLEFIELD, EDISON:
One of the best scorers in the area this year.

Littlefield has scored in double figures every game this season and has been a key contributor for the Spartans since her eighth-grade season.

SOPHIA BONNELL, HORSEHEADS:
Had the most threes of any player in the area in a single game this year when she hit eight threes on her way to a career-high 24 points against Waverly.

She followed that up with a 15-point game against St. Mary’s.

Bonnell has been one of the best guards in the area this year.

HANNAH NICHOLS, CORNING:
She’s had a big impact for the Hawks this season, and recently had 15 points in a win over Prattsburg.

HARPER HOFFMAN, EDISON:
A starter for the Spartans, she’s been a solid scorer for a team that’s won three straight games.

MADISYN MATKOSKY, HORSEHEADS:
One of the first players off the bench for the Blue Raiders, Matkosky has played a key role as the primarily backup in the backcourt this season.

BENCH:
GABBY MILAZZO, EDISON:
Another starter and one of the best shooters on the Spartans.

MARIANA JONES, EDISON:
A key contributor for the Spartans this year, she is one of four sophomores playing a key role for the Edison girls.

ELLIE CLEARWATER, ELMIRA:
A returning guard on the state-ranked Express.

MADDIE FARGO, NOTRE DAME:
A key contributor for the Crusaders this season.

LAILA BURCHARD, ELMIRA:
Started the year as a key JV player for Elmira, but in a double-overtime win against Norwich she was up on varsity and played a key role, hitting two big free throws to help seal the win in the second overtime.