BRUNSWICK – Another college career is winding down. Jill Henrikson has between one and four basketball games left to play for Bowdoin College.
“I can see the end,” said Henrikson, a 5-foot-8 senior guard-turned-forward from Bath and Morse High.
Additional Photos
Henrikson would prefer that the end not come today, when the Polar Bears (21-7) play fourth-ranked and unbeaten George Fox University (29-0) in the Round of 16 of the NCAA Division III tournament.
Today’s 5 p.m. game will be followed by 17th-ranked Lebanon Valley (26-3) playing No. 7 Mary Washington (29-0), which is the host of the four-team sectional in Fredericksburg, Va.
The winners meet at 7 p.m. Saturday for a spot in next weekend’s Final Four.
Bowdoin, the only unranked team in the sectional, may be the biggest underdog in the group. But Henrikson says it would be a mistake to discount her team.
“Regardless of how we play, we always tough it out,” she said. “We’re a real gritty team.”
Tough. Gritty. Hmm, sounds familiar.
Oh yes, that’s an apt description of Henrikson, who became a starter as a freshman with a wham-bam style of play.
While Henrikson has not let off the gas pedal one bit, she’s got her hands better positioned on the steering wheel.
“I know how to channel the aggression better,” Henrikson said. “I’m still an intense player, but definitely more controlled.”
And effective. Henrikson led the New England Small College Athletic Conference in scoring with an average of 16.8 points per game. She also was tied for seventh in rebounding at 6.8 per game.
Not bad for a 5-8 guard who had to move underneath the basket when Bowdoin’s depth in the post thinned.
“I try to use my quickness to make up for the (lack of height),” Henrikson. “I focused a lot more on rebounding this year.”
It is said the key to rebounding is attitude. Henrikson has it. She has demonstrated that determination since her Morse High days, when it was not unusual to see Henrikson shoveling her driveway to get extra practice.
She was slowed her sophomore year at Bowdoin because of right knee surgery. But she attacked rehab and regained her quickness. She can get open for a 3-pointer or drive to the basket. On defense she is relentless.
Henrikson’s all-out effort will be needed today when the Polar Bears play George Fox and its touted post tandem of 6-5 Hannah Munger and 5-10 Keisha Gordon.
The Bruins are likely to key on Henrikson, but Bowdoin does have other strengths, including her fellow post player, 5-11 Alexa Barry, plus guards Kaitlin Donahoe, Amy Hackett and Ellery Gould.
“I’ve learned to accept extra attention and just play through it,” Henrikson said. “It’s nothing we can’t handle.”
Someday, Henrikson hopes to be devising strategies for her own team. After graduation — as a dual sociology and gender-and-women’s studies major — Henrikson would like to coach. She is hoping to be a graduate student/assistant coach at a college next year.
When she finally walks away from playing, Henrikson will exit the way she entered — leaving everything on the court.
Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:
kthomas@pressherald.com
Twitter: KevinThomasPPH
Copy the Story Link
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.