One of the top overall prospects in Arizona's 2020 Class worked extremely hard over the past couple years to make himself an attractive prospect in the class to college basketball programs. A star football prospect that received loads of Division-I attention from top college football programs around the country, PHH Prep 6-foot-8, 250-pound senior forward DeAndre Henry elected to focus on basketball two years ago - surprising many in the football and basketball community. On Tuesday, after the long Labor Day weekend, Henry made a verbal commitment for college that proved that he knew exactly what he was doing.
After another strong spring and summer performance for himself, where he proved to be an enforcer on the basketball court for a talented Powerhouse Hoops 17U team - a team that featured numerous prospects that saw their recruitment soar to completely another level. Alongside senior teammate prospects such as Evan Nelson and Alem Huseinovic, who both saw a significant improvement in their college recruitment this spring and summer, Henry was another recipient of many college offers this off-season.
After receiving numerous scholsrship offers for himself throughout the spring and summer, Henry would give his verbal commitment to the University of Nevada early in the fall recruiting process - joining club and high school teammate Alem Huseinovic, who also gave a verbal commitment to the Mountain West program this off-season. University of Nevada new first-year Head Coach Steve Alford and his staff recently took the Nevada job, and the staff focused their recruiting attention on the Powerhouse Hoops program, and landing Huseinovic and now Henry.
Henry decided that the offer to play at a program like Nevada's, which is coming off a Top-20 national ranking last season, and also playing in the Mountain West Conference, while experiencing it with his club and new high school teammate Alem Huseinovic, was just too much to pass up.
Henry chose Nevada over offers from Grand Canyon, Loyola-Chicago, Air Force, North Carolina A&T, Portland State, Northern Arizona and South Dakota.
Henry recently received an offer from Grand Canyon, which was a very good one for Henry, but an official recruiting visit to the University of Nevada this weekend for Henry was just too much to overcome for GCU and other college programs.
The hard working and tough bruising forward Henry recently also decided to change schools for his senior season, after he decided to leave Mountain Pointe High School and join former Pride head coach Kirk Fauske at the newly developed PHHoenix Prep, where he will team up with many of his local club teammates from the Powerhouse Hoops club program this season, and will face top-rated prep competition.
Henry is a strong, two-sport star athlete, and chose to play college basketball over a career in football, even though he is one of the top college football prospects in the country. Henry chose basketball even though he was being recruited by the very best football programs in the country, including Alabama. His love and passion for basketball outweighed his love for the sport of football, and it has really paid off for the talented forward prospect.
After a sophomore season where he helped his Mountain Pointe program to a 6A state runner-up finish, last season as a junior, Henry averaged 9.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per/game for the Pride, as the team finished with a 22-7 overall record last season, before falling to Perry HS in the 6A state playoffs.
Congratulations to Henry on this big accomplishment from our Arizona Preps' staff, and I personally am very proud of this young man, as he again proves that hard work and dedication to your craft definitely pays off big dividends. Congratulations also to the Powerhouse Hoops program, which is now known as Arizona Select, on their development of Henry and his exposure to college coaches.
Arizona Hoop Review Scouting Report: DeAndre is a very intriguing prospect as a four-man, as he is a tough customer with a hard-nosed approach to the game. A big, strong and athletic performer who plays with a very high motor. He’s a tough, gritty player who can really affect the game on both ends of the floor. He’s a capable shooter from mid-range, but is very effective finishing around the rim, as he has a soft touch and advanced footwork. A strong offensive rebounder that plays with a gritty style of play, and is active on the glass on both ends of the floor. A strong competitor that accepts challenges on the court. Runs the floor hard. A strong finisher at the rim, and gets to the free-throw line quite often. Enjoys physical contact. A strong shotblocker. A good passer out of the low post. Capable of guarding multiple positions defensively. A good overall sleeper post prospect that competes at a high level and has excellent competitiveness and toughness, on and off the court. Has a great personality also.
