by Michaeala Alfano '25
Ohio Wesleyan junior guard Henry Hinkle (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) recently hit a milestone with his 1000th career point. He is the 34th Bishop men's basketball player to reach this major mark.
This season, Hinkle has scored 360 points, with a season high of 33 points against Hiram in December. He consistently puts up double figures, averaging 18.0 points per game to rank third in the North Coast Athletic Conference. He has improved every year, starting out averaging 14.0 points per game as a freshman to where he is now as the team's leading scorer.
"It's a great accomplishment," said Hinkle. "There have been many talented players at OWU over the years and to be able to put my name on that list is special."
Since coming in as a freshman 2 years ago, Hinkle has become a focal point on the team, starting every game in his Ohio Wesleyan career.
His style of play is to be confident, carry the ball well, and get shots off not only quickly, but efficiently. Consistency is what has helped him reach this milestone, and he credits a large portion of his game to always being dialed in.
"From when he first set foot on campus as a freshman, Henry has been remarkably consistent," said Bishop head coach Mike DeWitt. "And as he has matured physically, he has become an outstanding scorer for us in a variety of ways."
Although the team has had a rocky start to the year, Hinkle knows that they are capable of playing better basketball. This team is good, regardless of record. They have had close losses to top teams that ultimately could have gone either way. In a 5-game stretch in January, the Bishops faced the NCAC's top 4 teams, with that stretch including a win over Wabash, a one-point loss to Denison, and a 4-point loss to Wooster.
"We are just trying to get better every day and learn from our mistakes with the hope of finishing our regular season strong and preparing for the conference tournament," added DeWitt.
The NCAC is a competitive conference where anyone can beat anyone at any time. The team needs to go into every game prepared and ready to be better than the last, which is something that Hinkle and the team try to instill in each other. With five games left in the regular season, there is a lot more that the Bishops, and Hinkle, can accomplish. This week, Ohio Wesleyan visits Hiram and DePauw with the opportunity to complete a season sweep of both teams.
