Henry making an impact

49ers freshman point guard Pierria Henry is ranked second in the Atlantic 10 in steals (2.8 per game) and is now fifth nationally (he's also averaging 7.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists). Here's what the two Atlantic 10 coaches who have already faced the 49ers and Henry have to say about him (these quotes, and a lot more) will be in a profile of Henry I'll have in Saturday's Observer:

Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph's: "The first thing is he brings size (6-feet-3) to the point-guard spot. If you don't have a tiny great (point guard), you need to have someone there with some size. He has a feel for the position. He wants to get in the lane and he wants to spread the ball around. He's not enamored of the 3-point line, like a lot of young players are today. I thought he was very, very committed to defense in our game. That's something that's hard to pick up on tape.

"He's got a really bright future. If you think about those guys playing off him -- (Derrio) Green and (Deuce) Briscoe with their quick release(s) and how they want to play through (Chris) Braswell. He can see over defenders and put the ball comfortably where they want it.

"And when he goes to the basket, he's not going there to get fouled. He likes to be creative, take a bump. He plays a lot older than an 18- or 19-year old freshman."

Chris Mooney, Richmond: "He sets the tone for the team. He likes to pick up full-court, and that shows that he wants to defend, that he's anxious to play defense. When you have an aggressive player and he's playing that point-guard position, it's very important because it's a leadership position. He has a knack for the position and works hard at it, too."