Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

Wednesday, April 5, 2000

Hawaii
closer to changing
of the guard

David Hilton verbally commits
to the Rainbow men's
basketball team

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

The University of Hawaii men's basketball team seems to be making progress in filling its most critical need for next season: point guard.

With the loss of senior Johnny White, the Rainbows faced entering the 2000-2001 season with no true replacement at the 1 position.

But with seven days to go before players can sign Division I letters of intent, the Rainbows have one well-regarded prep point guard verbally committed and another sounding like he might.

David Hilton, a 5-11, 145-pound prep school point guard from The Hyde School in Connecticut, committed after a visit here two weeks ago, according to his coach, Tom Stoup.

Hilton, whose comeback from a homeless existence on the streets of Queens, N.Y., has been featured in The New York Times and on "Good Morning America," is considered a gem in the rough.

Some former coaches in the New York area have even predicted an NBA future for the cat-quick ballhandler who learned his game in the schoolyards.

"I know Hawaii has been looking for a floor leader and I'd say they've achieved their objective with Hilton," said Bob Gibbons of All-Star Report, a North Carolina-based recruiting magazine.

"This kid has poise, confidence, and can run the show. He'll be their equivalent of a Jason Williams at Duke because he'll step right in there and start. This is the type of player Rick Majerus is looking for and he could play in any conference. He's a very good choice for Hawaii."

Hilton averaged 31.7 points as a sophomore shooting guard in the New England Prep School Athletic Conference. But Stoup said that when he converted to point guard Hilton's focus shifted to playmaking.

Meanwhile, Eric Bush, a 5-10, 175-pound point guard from Barton County Community College (Kansas) who is rated as a four-star prospect on Rivals.com, said Hawaii is on his short list of three schools.

"I've got Memphis, Fordham and Hawaii," Bush said.

"He's a terrific player, too," Gibbons said. "If Hawaii gets him, they have double jeopardy."

Bush indicated he's anxious to visit the Hawaii campus.

"(Assistant) Coach (Scott) Rigot said he was going to get me a trip over there, so I'm just waiting," Bush said.

---

UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii