Student Athlete of the Week Henry Noblin

Although he views himself as more of a role player, junior Henry Noblin's on-court contributions have been invaluable to the Niwot High School varsity boys basketball team.

Noblin makes his presence felt most prominently on the glass, leading the Cougars with 4.8 rebounds per game through Feb. 11. The 6-foot-1 forward is also a menace to opposing ball-handlers, as he's averaging a team-high 1.3 steals per game.

Niwot head coach Walker Bounds is among those who appreciate Noblin's willingness to do the "dirty work."

"Henry's always one of our hardest workers," Bounds said. "He's a very selfless player. He rebounds, he sets screens, he gets on the floor. He does all the little things that win basketball games that may not show up in the stat sheet but are so vital for us to have success. I'm really proud of Henry, and he means a whole lot to our team."

As Niwot's 4-18 overall record through Feb. 16 indicates, this season hasn't been easy on Noblin and his teammates. Still, Noblin believes the Cougars are moving in the right direction and learning from each defeat in the challenging Granite Peaks League.

"It's been pretty tough, but we've been grinding," Noblin said. "It's a tough league, so we're definitely getting better. It's just not showing right now. We're hoping to end the season good."

Noblin and the Cougars will visit Erie High School on Tuesday, Feb. 18 in their regular season finale.

Reflecting on his junior hoops season, Noblin shared that he values the relationships he has built throughout the year.

"I'm learning to work with people I wouldn't have otherwise worked with," Noblin said. "When you're trying to bring a team off the ground, you've got to learn to talk to new people and be willing to grind with them and really create brotherhood."

Although he's already attending preseason baseball practices when possible, Noblin will turn his complete attention to the diamond this spring. He'll enter his third varsity season as one of Niwot's most talented pitchers, owning a 2.29 earned run average in 49 career innings pitched.

Noblin, who hit .250 last season with seven runs batted in, has high expectations for both himself and the team.

"As a team, we're hoping to win the state championship," Noblin said. "For me personally, I want to have a (strong) season on the mound and a breakout season."

Niwot baseball's season opener is scheduled for March 13 at Lewis-Palmer High School.