Mighty Mouse shows his Mite

MELBOURNE (Paulo Kennedy's View from Downunder) - When Sydney Kings fans heard their new import was a severely undersized but lightning-quick point guard from Baltimore, most were probably hoping it was Muggsy Bogues armed with a time machine.

When they found out it was actually Corin Henry, who averaged 13 points over two seasons for Tarleton State in NCAA Division 2 and then spent one professional season in Denmark, they weren't too impressed.

He was so 'small time' he admitted to legendary Sydney hoops journalist Matt McQuade that his first NBL game against Wollongong, attended by more than 4300 fans, was "the first time I ever played in front of a crowd of more than 1000 people".

Listed at 180cm, he must have been wearing high heels at the time because he makes six-footers look like power forwards!

His pre-season form was up-and-down but included one 30-point outburst against Cairns, and his debut in Wollongong was reasonable with 15 points, six assists and four turnovers.

His second game against the Melbourne Tigers didn't start so well and he was scoreless at half time as his team trailed by eight.

Few could have seen what was to come as Henry exploded for 23 second-half points to lead the Kings to a nail-biting win.

He forced turnover after turnover, scored in transition, drove to the basket, drew fouls and finished three-point plays - his bigger Tiger opponents looked like real-life tigers trying to swat pesky flies on a hot afternoon as Henry buzzed around them.

He even hit a couple of threes and threw in five assists for good measure.

But more than the stats, it was the energy he did it with that instantly endeared him to the 4400 Sydney fans in attendance, and most likely the tens of thousands watching on TV.

"It was great, just to see how much our fans got into it. Just knowing that they enjoyed the game and were behind us - that was a great feeling," Henry said of the first such adulation he had ever experienced.

Doing radio commentary, former Sydney great Bruce Bolden stated "there are no more questions" about whether a man of Henry's size and lack of experience can be successful in the NBL.

The truth is though, the questions the 24-year-old will be asked this season have only just begun, and they're going to get a lot more difficult to answer.

Last season two high quality but light and undersized young guards graced the NBL's hardwoods, Boomers star Patty Mills and Ole Miss standout Chris Warren.

Against the bottom four teams they dominated, racking up the points at a high percentage -Mills 25 points per game at 53% and Warren 18.4 points at 48%.

But the organised and physical defences of the top five teams made life much more difficult for the vertically challenged - Mills 13.4 points at 32% and Warren 11.3 points at 35%.

So far Henry has faced the sixth and eight-placed teams from last year's competition, both of whom were a long way out of the playoff hunt.

In rounds three (tonight) and four he tests himself against Cairns and Townsville, who finished fifth and fourth respectively. Cairns are a very smart defensive team and held Henry to four points on 2-of-11 shooting.

Next week won't be any easier, and then the real tests come in rounds five and nine when the Kings head to New Zealand and Perth. Then we will see how this exciting youngster handles himself against the heavyweights.

Despite tonight's poor showing, the thing Henry has going for him now is confidence. With each play against Melbourne he ignited the crowd and then fed off their energy.

Even more importantly for the determined little man, as this article shows, there are still people who aren't convinced he can get the job done, and that's something he's fed off his entire basketball life.

"People don't know that just makes me more angry and makes me become the best player I can be,'' he told Fairfax news.

''It makes me work hard and do all that extra stuff to become a better player, do all the stuff that the players who think they're the best players don't do.''

That sounds like a recipe for success to me, and I suspect everyone Downunder, except his seven rival teams, are hoping he continues to put on a show.

With the Sydney Kings this year sponsored by Australian sandwich 'spread' brand Mighty Mite, it could hardly be more appropriate that a man now nicknamed Mighty Mouse is creating the buzz.

Paulo Kennedy

FIBA

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