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BRIAN HENNESSEY is mostly known for his three-point sniping. But why should a guy settle for being one-dimensional, right?
Hennessey, a 6-3, 175-pound senior swingman, also boasts impressive hops, and when the chance is there . . . heck, yeah, he's gonna wolf one down.
Father Judge's Malik Robinson attempts a layup as Bishop McDevitt's Brahieme Green (left) and Markeise Chandler (right) look on. (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)
The occasion last night for Father Judge High's basketball team was a Catholic League home game vs. Bishop McDevitt. Perched above the north basket, used by the Crusaders in the first half, were maybe 25 of Hennessey's closest friends.
They got to see one of his dunks up close, and one from far away. But in school today, they'll still be busting his chops about the one that didn't quite happen 2 days before Christmas, when Judge was hosting St. Joseph, of Hammonton, N.J.
"I was going to dunk," Hennessey said. "But as I went in, my knee kind of caved in - no injury, thank goodness - and all I could do was flip a layup up to the basket. It went in.
"It's like the big joke around school. Everybody's still taking about it. They'll see me coming and it's always, 'Aaaaah, my leg!' And then they grab their knee and limp around. It's pretty funny. I get a kick out of it."
For the record, Hennessey now boasts 11 dunks for the season and the two he posted against McDevitt were in-traffic jobs off hard baseline drives. They continued a seasonlong pattern, so it's not as if Hennessey basket-hangs and gets his hammers against air.
In all last night, Hennessey shot 7-for-14 (three treys) and 1-for-5 (how'd that happen?) for 18 points as Judge triumphed, 81-70, in a spirited game that offered lots of aggressive plays and nonstop entertainment. Also, he claimed 10 rebounds and added two apiece of assists, steals and blocks.
When Hennessey talked about his balcony buddies, the only one he mentioned by name was Rob Daniels. Verrrrry interesting.
Daniels, a junior, is Judge's quarterback. The guy he replaced in that job was none other than Brian Hennessey.
As Judge entered the 2010 season, the job was wide open after Tony Smith, a 2-year starter, transferred to George Washington. Hennessey seized command, but played second fiddle to Daniels over the final five games of the season. This past season, the battle was over almost before it started. Daniels, it was.
"Basketball was always my No. 1 sport, but who doesn't want to be the quarterback?" Hennessey said. "I thought about quitting. I had [separate] meetings with coach Coyle [Tommy, football] and coach Tait [Sean, basketball] and lots of discussions with my father."
That'd be Fran Hennessey, who happens to be basketball assistant.
"My dad thought I should stick it out," Brian said. "There were times I regretted staying around. I was missing so much of the offseason preparation for basketball. But now that everything's behind me, I'm proud that I did stay around. The footwork you need for quarterback helps you for basketball and I had fun being around coach Samuel [Mike, former star QB at Penn Charter and Wisconsin]."
As the third quarter was about to expire, Hennessey was 0-for-4 from Threeball Land. But he took a pass from Jeff Seigafuse, released an off-balance, left-wing trey in a big-time hurry and, splash!, it found nothing but net.
"Of all the shots to go in . . . " he said, laughing. "When that went in, I got my confidence back."
From the exact same spot, though in comfortable fashion, Hennessey drained another trey to start the fourth quarter. And less than 2 minutes later, this time from the corner, he was reeling in another pass from Seigafuse and, you got it, giddily hitting another treyball to make it 60-52. The Crusaders maintained control from there.
Born-scorer junior guard Steven Griffin led Judge with 24 points as he shot 7-for-16 (three treys) and 7-for-10. Sean Hanna (12) and Joe Robinson (10) also scored in double figures while Malik Robinson (eight points, seven rebounds, three blocks), Seigafuse (six boards, four assists) and Connor Donohoe (seven points, four assists, three steals) all made prominent contributions.
Only four players scored for McDevitt: Brahieme Jackson (24), Markeise Chandler (19), Carl Garner (14) and Jordan Watson (13). Jackson also had 14 rebounds and four assists.
Hennessey, who lives on Hartel near Castor, in Rhawnhurst, is receiving widespread D-III interest. D-II Chestnut Hill is also sniffing. He expects to major in accounting and, oh, he wants to tell the truth.
"Rob's a better quarterback," Brian Hennessey said.
Online high school coverage at philly.com/rally.
