Point guard Henry Walsh is nearing the end of his senior season for Horizon High School, but his last few games for the Huskies are going to be a bit more final compared to some other players in the Top 100 of the Prep Hoops Arizona rankings.

 

Walsh is rated as the No. 80 2017 recruit in the state and he certainly has talent, but he’s preparing to hang his sneakers up once his final high school season is done — at least in regards to competitive, organized hoops. He’s planning on going to college and he’s very excited and is looking forward to his future. That future just doesn’t include college basketball, and Walsh seems to be at peace with that.

 

“I wasn’t getting anything my junior year and I decided I didn’t want to play and wanted to focus on academics,” the Horizon point guard explained to Prep Hoops. “I’m going to the University of Arizona Honors College and I want to major in physiology.”

Walsh obviously has an extremely bright future and nobody is going to blame him for focusing on academics. It’s rare for a person his age to have such clarity regarding his or her path, and he’s doing the right thing by forging ahead and trusting his instincts.

That doesn’t mean he won’t miss his time on the basketball court, though.

 

“Yes,” he said when asked if he’ll miss it. “But at the same time, I’m excited about the future.”

In the meantime, Walsh is focused on finishing out the season strong for the Huskies. His team is 13-10 and 4-5 in sectional play with two games left.

 

“The season started off a little up and down. We didn’t seem to find a solid path but we did go on a six-game winning streak and seemed to find the personnel and the way to find a way to win,” the point guard explained. He also relayed that Horizon recently had senior night, and the team played its best game of the season. Finishing strong is a focus of every coach, so head coach Jerry Conner has to be happy about what he’s seen from his team since the New Year.

 

Walsh is one of two captains for Horizon, joining Prep Hoops AZ star Jake Hess, who’s the No. 27 ranked player from the state.

“I’ve been a part of the team for four years so I know the coaches and how to be the leader of the team,” Walsh said, explaining his role. “We have a lot of young guys that look up to me and Jake Hess because we need to lead the program to success so they have some experience.”

 

Walsh explained that he and Hess are two very different types of leaders for Horizon, a dynamic that undoubtedly plays well for the team. “I’m more vocal and have really good relationships with the younger players,” he said. “I do most of the talking with the players and Hess and I both talk to the coaches when needed.”

 

ALSO READ: Jake Hess breaks down his recruitment and the schools he’s hearing from with Prep Hoops

 

And personally, Walsh is feeling very good about his final year playing organized hoops.

 

“This season has by far been my best,” he told Prep Hoops. “I’m averaging a double-double with points and assists and I’m the third leading rebounder on the team. I play almost the whole game and I feel as though I play a big role by being the point guard.”

 

For a player who knows he’s nearing the end of his competitive career, that’s not a bad way to go out.

 

Not a bad way to go out at all.