They say it's not bragging if you can back up a bold statement, and Henry “Hank” Newson isn't the bragging type.

He does, however, feel strongly that good things are in store for Waite's boys’ basketball team this season.

“Tell the people out there to expect the unexpected this year from the Waite basketball program,” said Newson, the Indians' 6-foot-5, 205-pound senior forward. “We're going to do some big things that people don't expect from us.”

Physically, Newson isn't the same player he was a year ago. He admitted he played “timid” at times during his junior year.

“Now, I'm not worried about any injuries,” said Newson, who has gained more than 15 pounds since last season. “Last year I was coming off an ankle injury, and now the ankle is better than ever.”

Newson, who is also a first-team All-Press receiver on the Waite football team and a member of three sprint relays on the track team (his father, Henry Jr., is the Indians' head track coach), needed surgery after breaking his left ankle during football practice his sophomore year.

Waite 6'5" senior Henry Newson (30) during the Indian's loss to Central Catholic. (Press photo by Scott Grau)

“I wouldn't crash the boards (last year) like I do now,” Newson said. “I go into the paint relentless. I feel a lot stronger. It seems like I can jump higher and I can rebound more.”

Newson, who is usually Waite's second or third option on offense, is averaging 7.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks through four games and is shooting 52 percent from the field. He scored 12 points with 11 rebounds, three assists and one block in the Indians' 71-51 win over Fremont Ross.

Waite was 2-2 and 1-1 in the City League heading into Tuesday's game at Dublin Coffman. The Indians have beaten Scott, 69-49, and lost to Findlay, 43-40, and CL rival Central Catholic, 50-27.

Waite coach Dave Pitsenbarger said Newson, who averaged nine points and five rebounds while earning honorable mention All-CL honors last season, has become more of a vocal leader.

“He participated in our summer league at Central and didn't miss a day,” Pitsenbarger said. “He became a vocal leader for the team. It's always important to have a kid as a leader other than a coach. It's important to have one of the players step up and do that, and he's doing a great job. The kids voted him as a captain (along with Ken Walker and Ke-Sean Harris).

“He's kind of soft-spoken but once he hits the floor with his teammates, he's more vocal. He gives them encouragement and talks to them. When we do face a little bit of adversity, he's there stepping forward and trying to pull things together.”

Newson said being voted a captain by his teammates “means a lot.”

“Our team needs some leadership and people have to step up,” he said. “I'm one of those who stepped up and stayed committed. Last year I was always quiet, and this year I have to be more vocal. Someone has to step up and lead this team. I'm comfortable doing that. You have to handle adversity and I'm very confident in my opinion.”

The fact that Newson and his fellow seniors are even playing in a Waite uniform in 2010-11 is a minor miracle.

Pitsenbarger, who has coached at Waite for 10 years, considered resigning at the end of last season. He said he decided to stick around because he was attached to this senior group and he had heard “rumblings” that if he left the team, several players would transfer.

“I told them at the end of (last) year I was thinking about stepping down,” Pitsenbarger said. “It was a good group of kids and I didn't want them to leave. I wanted to keep them together.”

Newson said he remembered when a few Waite basketball players transferred to other schools when he was in the eighth grade and during his freshman year. He didn't want to follow their lead, especially heading into his senior year.

“Last summer we didn't know if coach Pit was going to be our coach or not,” Newson said. “A couple of us were going to transfer out and stick together and go to the same school. Him staying and committing to the team, we committed to the coach and the program. It means a lot, because he's a great coach. He expects big things and we expect big things. Nobody expects us to do anything this season because we lost our big man (Antonio Allen). When we all play together, we can do some good things and we're a dangerous team.”

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed