Xavier Henry's face
made a quick phone call during the middle of Athletes First warm-up line on Friday night.
"I think I'm going to play,” the Putnam City junior basketball player told his mom.
"Oh, so you lied to me,” Barbara Henry responded.
Not intentionally.
Despite telling everyone he planned to sit out until next weekend, Xavier just couldn't stand to sit out any longer.
Henry sparked Athletes First to a 90-58 win over Playez Only in the opening day of the Sooner Cager Classic at the Lloyd Noble Center. Henry had 15 points, several assists and looked like he was close to full strength in the win.
"When you're hurt for three weeks, you're motivated to play,” Henry said. "I wanted to get out there and bring it to them.”
Henry had missed Athletes First's last two tournaments due to a stress fracture he suffered at the Boo Williams Invitational in Virginia. Henry said the leg felt pretty good, and he is playing at "75 to 80” percent.
"It felt OK,” Henry said. "(Because) I limited my moves to jump shots and easy takes for layups. Once I am able to cut on it, I'll get back into it.”
Barring a setback and with his mom's permission, Henry plans to play today and Sunday. Athletes First plays at 4 p.m. today before the playoffs begin later tonight.
"If my mom says I can play and my ankle didn't swell up, then I'll play,” he said.
Norman forward and Oklahoma commitment Kyle Hardrick had 16 points, and Norman-based guard Terrence Boyd added 12.
