Player of the Week : Once He Got Inside, Hendry Learned the Game

Two years ago, the only time Eric Hendry could expect to play for the Orange High School junior varsity basketball team was during pregame warmups and halftime shootarounds. Otherwise, Hendry rode the bench.

After that, his sophomore season, Hendry vowed to make the starting five. He practiced shooting a lot, usually outdoors. But he knew the bounces he’d get off an outdoor rim would be different from the ones he’d get off an indoor rim. If Hendry wanted to improve his touch and make the varsity, he knew he’d have to do it indoors.

But it’s one thing to want to get inside a gymnasium and quite another to actually gain access. Hendry solved the dilemma with a strategically placed piece of tape.

“When we would be leaving the gym after a team practice, we’d tape down the latch on the door,” he said. “Then we’d come back later and just open the door. No problem. To get the lights on we’d have to stick a key in the power box, but that was easy.”

Last week all the undercover work seemed to pay off. The 6-6 senior scored 21 points against Canyon and another 21 against Foothill, leading the Panthers to a 62-61 upset win over the Knights at home. Hendry made 71% of his shots during those games, mostly from inside, and was named The Times’ Player of the Week.

Although his dedication was admirable, surprised faculty members didn’t always appreciate Hendry sneaking into the gym.

“They’d throw us out and would tell us not to come back, but they never really got mad,” he said. “I think in a way they were glad we were there. We always did go back and they’d just throw us out again, but they never made any threats.”

Said Orange Coach Ed Graham: “When you have a kid that big (Hendry was 6-4 at the time) and he’s willing to work, you’ve got to let him work.”

Offensively, what Hendry worked on was his own skyhook. When released properly, the shot will take soft bounces off the rim. Its most famous practitioner, Laker center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, executes the shot with elegance. Hendry’s first versions were executed with the finesse of a wrecking ball.

“I use to slam against the backboard,” Hendry said. “Sometimes it would go right over the backboard. But it finally started coming around. Now when I shoot it, I get a lot of soft bounces.”

Hendry also started putting some bulk on his frame. Through a weight-training program he added 20 pounds over the next two years.

With the refined hook and added strength, Hendry has become Orange’s Mr. Inside. Forward Dave Roth is Mr. Outside. Roth, who Graham calls his best player, is averaging 18 points a game, most coming on outside jump shots.

“No one can cheat against us,” Hendry said. “If they double-team me, Dave can fill it up from the outside. If they double-team him, I can take care of business in the key.”