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Not only had Henry just returned from the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Mexico, but he then crammed in a standout performance in the NPBA Top 100 camp over the past week 鈥� before flying into Phoenix ahead of the Section 7 tournament and related games, which started on Friday.

鈥淚鈥檒l play tomorrow,鈥� he said of Saturday's games.

Two of Henry's other USA teammates, UA recruiting targets Darius Wabbington and Adan Diggs, also barely took time to breathe after returning from the 6,000-foot elevation of Leon, Mexico, where USA picked up a silver medal after losing 67-65 to Canada in the championship game of the FIBA U18 AmeriCup on June 7.

Both Wabbington and Diggs said they returned from Mexico on Monday, and immediately spent the rest of the week working out with their respective high school teams, two of the best in Arizona: Phoenix Sunnyslope, the team Wabbington helped lead to the Arizona Open Division title last season, and Goodyear Millennium, where Diggs teamed with incoming UA freshman Cameron Holmes.

鈥淚t was straight back to it,鈥� Wabbington said, chuckling. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a grind, you know, but you鈥檝e got to love it.鈥�

Wabbington said he returned to practice on Tuesday while Diggs said he actually put up shots shortly after getting off the plane Monday, with his Millennium teammates having been in the gym that day.

Already having faced the inevitable pressure of playing for USA Basketball聽鈥� where returning from an international event with anything other than a gold medal is considered a loss聽鈥� Wabbington and Diggs took on a new form of pressure with their high school teams.

Diggs is in the process of reclassifying academically so he can become a rising senior next season聽鈥� and play college basketball in 2027-28聽鈥� while Wabbington is taking over for a Sunnyslope team that lost several key players from its state title team, including Colorado-bound wing Rider Portela.

The new-look Vikings had trouble adjusting Friday, losing 77-62 to Seattle鈥檚 Rainier Beach despite second-half improvement. Diggs鈥� Millennium team, which is adjusting without Holmes, lost on an adjacent court at the same time, 70-68 to Bremerton (Wash.) High School, despite a near-comeback in the second half.

Millennium coach Rich Thornton said he thought Diggs was tired but, if Wabbington also was, he wasn鈥檛 about to admit it.

鈥淚 would just say the loss is on me,鈥� Wabbington said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 show up and perform as needed and as expected. I鈥檝e got to come back and be better tomorrow.鈥�

Sure enough, on Saturday morning Wabbington scored 21 points to lead Sunnyslope to a 71-67 win over Utah's Corner Canyon.聽

"We're starting to put things together," he said after Saturday's game.

Chances are, Wabbington will also be better in the weeks and months ahead. Already ranked the No. 23 overall player in the class of 2027 by 247 Sports, Wabbington said his body has changed since he played in the Section 7 event last year, with more quickness on his 6-11, 245-pound frame and a stronger overall game.

Playing with USA Basketball, he said, also helped: The team featured 11 other of the best high school players in the country, who were largely shifted into different roles than the usual starring ones they play in high school.

They were forced to adjust, maybe in the sort of way they will in the future.

鈥淚t's tough playing with a lot of the top guys, trying to find your role and stuff like that, but that鈥檚 part of it,鈥� Wabbington said. 鈥淲hen you go to college and the NBA, you're gonna be surrounded by other guys, and you鈥檝e got to learn how you're going to fit in without scoring.鈥�

Over five games in the U18 event, Wabbington averaged 9.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists, while Diggs averaged 10.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Diggs shot 46.8% from the field and 30% from 3, while Wabbington was 38.5% from the field and 41.2% from 3.

Wabbington said the experience overall was 鈥渁mazing,鈥� though losing to Canada in the final stung, sending the young Americans another lesson they might lean on ahead.

Canada was 鈥渞eally good,鈥� Wabbington said. 鈥淭o be honest, they kind of just wanted it more. When you've got that 鈥楿SA鈥� on your chest, you feel like you鈥檝e won already. But no聽鈥� people are coming, and you鈥檝e got a target on your back.鈥�

After he gets through a summer of club ball and recruiting聽鈥� then taking recruiting visits ahead to potential choices that also include UNC, Kentucky, Texas, Louisville and Indiana聽鈥� Wabbington inevitably will face another target on him during his final season for Sunnyslope.

He says he's ready for it.

鈥淭he pressure is a blessing, to be playing for a top program not only in the state but in the country,鈥� Wabbington said. 鈥淥f course there鈥檚 pressure but you've聽just got to stay with it and perform.鈥�