Henrich Hits 1000 Against Deerfield
The day started off like any other for senior and four year basketball starter Courtney Henrich. “I went to the gym a few hours early, like usual, to shoot around and stretch. Coming off a rough loss to BB&N, I was pretty fired up and ready to hit the court running,” Henrich said. However, when the day came to a close, it was far from ordinary.
On Saturday, Big Red girls’ basketball faced off against Deerfield Academy in what would prove to be an exciting game. Henrich became the first girl to score 1,000 career points in the Academy’s history. At the start of the game, Henrich was 18 points shy of the milestone. She was confident she could pull it off that day, and her teammates were sure of it. “Before the game, I was feeling pretty good. My teammates assured me that Saturday was the big game and that I had 18 points in me for the day,” Henrich said.
At the beginning of the game, Henrich had a few looks at the basket but struggled to convert. At a time when most would start forcing shots, Henrich did what good shooters are trained to do; she made an adjustment and refocused. “I tried to block out the hype and just stay focused on the game. My first few shots were good looks at the basket, but I needed to adjust my footwork to score effectively. In the first 10 minutes or so, yes, I got a little nervous, but once I hit my first three, I knew I was on.”
Prep Ella Johnson said that the team was apprehensive when Henrich struggled with her shot early on, but as soon as she nailed her first three pointer, they knew she would hit 1000. “A few minutes in, she wasn't hitting much, so at that point I got a little nervous. Going back into the game I felt a little more pressure to get her the ball, but soon after I went back in, she hit a three and from there she was all set and hitting shot after shot,” Johnson said.
Henrich soon caught fire from beyond the arc, scoring 18 of her 28 points in the second half. Toward the end of her scoring spree, Henrich knocked down a three pointer from the left corner, putting her at 1001 career points.
At first, Henrich did not realize she had broken the record. “I didn't know exactly how many [points] I had scored at that point in the game, so I ran back on defense. When I turned, expecting to see the ball coming down the court, I realized everyone was cheering and my teammates smothered me in hugs,” Henrich said.
The refs had long since stopped the game so Courtney could enjoy the moment, but Henrich had already sprinted back, ready to play defense at the other end. “It was really an awesome moment,” Henrich said.
"Going back into the game I felt a little more pressure to get her the ball, but soon after I went back in, she hit a three and from there she was all set and hitting shot after shot."
When asked about the accomplishment, Henrich was quick to thank those who helped her. “I just want to thank everyone for their support, especially my mom, brother and teammates.” Not only was it an amazing moment for Henrich, it was a time for the whole team to celebrate. Every basketball player knows that statistics, despite their individual nature, are actually a team effort.
Henrich also acknowledged everyone who played a quiet but vital role during her Exeter career. “I also want to thank the campus security gym monitors for staying after their shifts to let me finish my workouts each night. I am very grateful for the opportunity the Exeter community has allowed me over the past four years and will never forget it,” Henrich said.
Despite the celebration, Big Red still had to finish their game against a talented Deerfield team. Coming off a tough loss against BB&N, Exeter was looking to make a statement and improve their record to 7-4. They came out firing on all cylinders, led offensively by Henrich, while post-grad Erika Steeves and upper Peace Kabari dominated the boards. En route to an impressive 67-49 win, the Big Red girls’ basketball team showed they are a team to watch out for in the coming months.
Even with a dominant performance, players realized the team has room for improvement, especially on the defensive end of the floor. “We need to work on keeping up our energy on defense throughout the entire game, talking more and getting an earlier lead,” Johnson said.