Mr. Dependable: West Caldwell's Gordy Hendrix was a little bit of everything

As a coach with more than 500 wins to his credit, Danny Anderson is a master of playing out all the possible scenarios.

Before, during and after games, he's constantly thinking of what could be coming next, either from his team, his opponent or on the schedule. One “what if?” he won't touch, however, is where this year's Warrior basketball team would have been if senior Gordy Hendrix had opted not to return to the hardwood.

“I don't like thinking about it,” Anderson says. “We give all the kids credit for making the turnaround, but without him. Š

Anderson exhales, pauses, makes some kind of “shooo” noise. Then he continues.

“Without him, it might've been a more frustrating year.”

That's probably a little bit of an understatement from the big coach, whose face told the real story.

Hendrix had a phenomenal -- although at times quiet - year and is the Caldwell County Player of the Year. The award is presented by the News-Topic and sponsored by Kelley's Sports and Awards of Lenoir.

A three-sport athlete for most of his high school career, Hendrix was a starter on the West Caldwell team that reached the 2-A Western Regionals two years ago. As a junior, however, he opted to play football and then turn his focus to baseball for the remainder of the year. In his final prep season, he decided to again play all three.

“It took me a good couple games to get back in form,” Hendrix says, “but I came back (strong) I guess.”

Anderson, for one, is glad he returned.

“He's dependable, can do a little bit of everything and does it every night,” Anderson said. “Overall, he was very, very consistent and fun to coach.”

Hendrix, who is laid back, poised, often quiet and seldom flashy, led the sectional finalist team in some key statistical categories, including points (350, 12.1 avg.), 3-point percentage (27-of-66, .410), rebounds (162, 5.6), offensive rebounds (72) and charges taken (more than one per game). He was second on the team with a field-goal percentage of .530 and third in deflections (21) and minutes played (617).

While he wasn't the Warriors' most versatile player (five-position-playing Chris Paden), the most difficult to pass around (long-winged Quan Bailey), the best ball handler (tiny Kendall Jones) or the enforcer in the middle (Swedish post man Oscar Carlson), he was a little bit of all of them and more wrapped into one.

“Really I just thought my role was to play hard, stay consistent with rebounds, points and stuff, the whole (stat) column,” Hendrix says.

A wing player, Hendrix could be a dead-on shooter if called upon, evidenced by his outstanding 3-point clip. In the Jan. 2 game against Patton, Hendrix scored 22 points in just more than a half, barely missing a shot. He didn't play much at all in the second half against the league's first-year team. He was easily on pace for 30.

Hendrix was especially potent on one play in particular. The Warriors have 10 inbounds plays they run from under their own basket. One of them, that fell somewhere between Nos. 8 and 10 in the playbook, was for Hendrix. He would inbound the ball to one wing, go the other way, slip around two picks, pop out at the top of the key where the ball soon would be reversed. He'd spot up, catch and shoot.

More often than notŠmoney.

“I like that play,” Hendrix says.

It burned more than one opponent multiple times.

Hendrix and the Warriors earned the top 2-A playoff seed from the Catawba Valley Athletic Conference, defeated Ledford and Owen at home in the postseason before being blown out in the sectional final at Pisgah. It was one of those perfect storm nights that is anything but perfect for the team on the wrong end of it. Pisgah couldn't miss, had a rabid crowd and jumped on West from the start. The Warriors appeared to have little left in the tank and, in truth, probably had gone about as far as they were capable of going.

“I just wish we could've played better against Pisgah,” Hendrix says. “Other than that, (the season) was more than I expected really.”

Hendrix's athletic pursuits continue. Also West Caldwell's starting quarterback last fall, Hendrix leads off for the Warrior baseball team this spring and will play Post 29 Legion Baseball this summer.

He's currently weighing his post-high school options, but sports a 3.2 GPA in the classroom.