Passed up for SEC Sixth Woman honor, Destanni Henderson ‘always the spark’ USC needs
When the SEC announced its women’s basketball awards at the end of the regular season, South Carolina was all over the list, with four players and coach Dawn Staley picking up honors.
One name not included, though, was sophomore guard Destanni Henderson. The Gamecocks’ fifth-leading scorer and top minute-getter off the bench, Henderson was passed over for Sixth Woman of the Year in favor of Kentucky’s Chasity Patterson.
A few days later, Henderson’s making the case for some recognition — on the SEC All-Tournament team.
In the conference tourney semifinals Saturday against Arkansas, Henderson poured in a career-high 21 points. Combined with her 10 points in the quarterfinal win against Georgia, she is USC’s leading scorer through two games, shooting 54.2% from the field and 40% from 3. She’s also dished out 11 assists and pulled down seven rebounds.
“That’s what we need. I believe she should have been Sixth (Woman) of the Year,” freshman guard Zia Cooke said of Henderson’s performance. “She does very good things for us, and we need it and she’s always the spark that we need, always.”
Senior point guard Tyasha Harris smiled when asked if she thought Henderson should have won the award.
“I‘m not gonna speak on awards, but she has my favor,” Harris said.
As for Henderson herself, she laughed when told about Cooke’s opinion but dismissed any suggestion she felt slighted.
“I wasn’t disappointed. Coach (Dawn Staley) mentioned it to me, she thought the same thing (as Cooke). ... It would have been nice to get the award, but it is what it is. Ain’t gonna be depressed about it,” she said.
After the victory vs. Georgia, Staley praised Henderson’s aggression in attacking the basket, saying that’s what the coaching staff wants from her on a consistent basis. She repeated that praise Saturday, but demurred when asked if the increased aggression coincided with the awards announcement.
“I don’t know if that’s her motivation. If it is, I hope she keeps doing it,” Staley said. “I think this’ll probably be the last year she’ll be able to get it. This is the last year she’s able to get it because moving forward, I think she’s doing a great job and she’ll put herself in a position to be a starter next year.”
Award winner or not, Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors had plenty of praise for Henderson after watching her power the Gamecocks past his squad.
“She’s killed us ... She was a kid that in the matchup, the ball was going to find her eventually. Ty Harris is too good to not find that kid in the right spots at the right time. It wasn’t that we didn’t respect her. It wasn’t that we said that’s the kid we’re not going to guard. It’s just the kid that the ball kept finding,” Neighbors said. “I think she’s played a tremendous role for them all year long. She’s another player that’s always played really good against us.”
When do the Gamecocks play at the SEC tournament?
Who: No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 2 Mississippi State
What: Championship of the SEC tournament
When: 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, South Carolina
Watch: ESPN2
Listen: 107.5 FM in Columbia area, SEC Radio on SiriusXM
