By Justin Fedich | The Selma Times-Journal

There is nothing soft or comforting about diving face first onto a hardwood basketball court in order to retrieve a basketball. Jackson Henderson doesn’t need to feel comfortable. He just wants to win.

Henderson, a senior point guard for the Morgan Academy Senators’ basketball team, isn’t the biggest or strongest player on the basketball court during most games. But his teammates and coaches will agree he plays the hardest.

“He does play harder than anyone else, harder than anyone I’ve seen,” said senior teammate Jack Stewart. “He just practices all out, let’s go, 100 percent.”

Henderson is a leader on his team not only as a senior, but also as a point guard. He’s responsible for calling out plays, giving his teammates opportunities to make open shots.

While Henderson possesses talent as a passer and shooter, it is perhaps his aggressive style of play that makes him most valuable to the team. Henderson’s teammate and long-time friend Harrison Adams said it’s Henderson’s aggressiveness that sets the tone for the way the rest of the team approaches each game.

“Aggressiveness is something that’s contagious and I think that when one guy starts doing it, a lot of people do,” Adams said. “Especially in the leadership position Jackson’s in, it encourages the rest of us to have that same aggressive mindset.”

Henderson lays it all out on the floor because it gives him something that bigger and stronger opponents might not have.

“You can’t coach that,” Henderson said. “Even if you’re outmanned or outskilled, if they don’t hustle as much, you’re going to have a better chance of winning.”

It only took Morgan head coach Lee Tate five minutes to realize Henderson was a special player. Tate said that whether it’s shooting practice, running drills or in a game, Henderson only knows one speed: full-tilt.

“All of them are leadership kind of guys, but Jackson is so intense,” Tate said. “His intensity just makes everybody get ready. I think it is going to permeate to everybody else.”

The success Henderson enjoys on the basketball court is just a small portion of what he brings to Morgan as an athlete. Henderson is coming off a seven-touchdown season on the football field and still has yet to start the season of his favorite sport: baseball.

“I’ve always enjoyed practicing them too so I guess that helps a lot,” Henderson said. “I think each builds off each other though. Football prepares you for basketball. Basketball gets you in shape for baseball.”

During Morgan’s first basketball game of the season, the Senators trailed Tuscaloosa Academy by double digits. Henderson had been all over the floor, diving for loose balls attempting to wrestle possession from opponents’ hands.

With his left elbow bloodied, Henderson reentered the game and stared down the ball like it was the last turkey leg on the Thanksgiving table.

The game of basketball can be difficult to grasp for some. But for Henderson, it’s quite simple.

“Aggressiveness and hard work,” Henderson said. “It goes a long way.”