Grayslake Central junior guard Ava Henne rarely ever gets tired on the court.
Maybe that’s because she’s not a typical basketball player. Henne is a standout runner in cross country and also plays soccer.
“I can bring her in off the bench, and she will guard the best offensive wing and make them work,” Grayslake Central girls basketball coach Steve Ikenn said. “With her experience in soccer and cross county, she’s just relentless going up and down the floor.”
Henne is averaging 2.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals as a reserve in her third varsity season but leads the Rams (12-4, 4-0), who are tied with Wauconda for first place in the Northern Lake County Conference, in charges taken.
“We can always count on Ava to spark the team,” Grayslake Central senior forward Madison Hoffmann said. “Her energy is top-tier. Whether it’s taking charges on the defensive end or hitting clutch shots on the offensive end, she truly puts the team first and fills any role we need her to. Ava’s an amazing teammate.”
Henne helped the Grayslake Central girls cross country team win its second straight Class 2A state title as a freshman in 2022, when she placed a career-best seventh individually in the first of her three trips to state. She said she uses her running background to her advantage on a basketball team loaded with experienced players like Hoffmann, a Green Bay commit, and senior guard/forward Annie Wolff.
“My role since my freshman year has consisted of bringing the energy, pushing my teammates and supporting my team no matter if I’m on the floor or the bench,” Henne said. “Our team is full of talent. I want to push them to the best of their abilities each and every day.”
Wolff agreed that Henne makes an impact off the bench.
“It doesn’t matter if she’s getting 15 minutes or five minutes, Ava is ready to go and do whatever is asked of her,” Wolff said. “Once she gets in, she never stops. Ava is the most composed person, and absolutely nothing fazes her. She also helps by keeping my head up and staying calm during games. She also has a short memory, so in the event something doesn’t go her way, she makes up for it in another part of her game.
“Her positive aspects aren’t limited to just games, but also at practice. Ava pushes her teammates and keeps everything so much fun.”
Ikenn, who teaches Advanced Placement Statistics, said he’s “the first person to say to throw numbers out the window when you talk about Ava Henne.”
“Her value goes beyond numbers so much that it’s hard to explain,” Ikenn said. “She’s a relentless defender, handles the ball well and has a nice jump shot. She prides herself on defense. She will play whatever role we need her to play and every practice has a smile on her face. She’s one of those unsung heroes.”
Henne said she’s playing with more confidence this season in hopes of leading Grayslake Central to the Class 2A state tournament. The Rams won a sectional title last season.
“This year especially, my teammates are very skilled and experienced with the game, so just being able to practice with them every day and play in games with them just makes me better as a teammate,” Henne said. “We’re all pushing each other to the best of our ability.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
