Hun graduate starts as St. Joseph’s sophomore
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
ATLANTIC CITY For three years, Idris Hilliard was a dominant basketball player for the Hun School.
He may never reach that same dominating level as a college player at Saint Joseph’s University, but Hilliard has already shown he can contribute at one of the nation’s top programs.
”He’s an undersized forward in this league,” said St. Joseph’s coach Phil Martelli, whose team finished the season 17-15 after losing in the second round of the Atlantic 10 tournament to eventual champion Temple. “He has worked hard. Last year he observed Rob Ferguson and knew he was going to get a chance this year. His work in the summer and in the fall paid off in that he was certainly a candidate for Most Improved Player in the league and probably Most Improved Player on our team. He may not be the leading candidate but he is a candidate.”
As a freshman, Hilliard played in 33 games off the bench for the Hawks, averaging 1.2 points and 1.0 rebounds in just under six minutes a game. But with the graduation of Ferguson, Hilliard moved into a starting role this season.
Hilliard played in all 32 games this season, starting 31 for the Hawks. He averaged 9.2 points per game and 5.4 rebounds in 28.2 points per game.
”I’m just trying to help out,” Hilliard said. “Once Rob Ferguson graduated I knew it was going to be on me to play a lot of minutes and produce. I think I got better as the season went on and things were working out.”
As a three-time Princeton Packet Player of the Year while at Hun, Hilliard showed he could be a dominant player at the high school level. As a 6-foot-7 power forward in college, he runs up against bigger players all the time.
”Everyone is bigger, stronger and faster,” said Hilliard, who three times this season scored 20 points in a game. “I had to adjust to the mental side of the game and play smarter and be efficient. I’m not really that big so I have to take advantage of what I can do.”
This year Hilliard has had the joy of playing alongside A-10 Player of the Year Ahmad Nivens, while also playing with guard Tasheed Carr, another of the league’s top players. Having those guys around has helped his growth as a player.
”Ahmad is the Player of the Year,” Hilliard said. “Tasheed should have been on the all-conference team. Garrett (Williamson) is on the all-defense team. Those guys make it easier for me. I just try to do what I can to help.
”Last year helped a lot. We had a real good group of guys. Even though I did not play much in games, the practices helped me a lot. Ahmad is tough. I would hate to go up against him in a real game. He’s tough, strong and skilled. It can only help me going against him.”
With Nivens and Carr graduating, more of the burden will fall on Hilliard to help the Hawks maintain their level of success. This season was their ninth straight with a winning record and they’ve made the post-season in seven of those years.
”It’s going to be different,” Martelli said. “It’s interesting because I keep notes for what we need to do in the off-season and one of the things with Idris is we’re going to have to make him really study the undersized forwards that are not only in this league but in college basketball.
”But if he can be crafty, if he can be a lot quicker up the floor, that’s an area we really want to work on with him.”
Hilliard is now another year removed from Hun, but still tried to keep up with his former team. He knows a lot of his current success is a result of what he did in his three years with the Raiders.
”I went to their game against Blair when they lost at the buzzer and I went to the MAPL championship game when they beat Lawrenceville,” Hilliard said. “We played against a lot of high-level players at Hun. It was pretty much like playing for a college team.
”Coach (Jonathan) Stone is a real knowledgeable guy about the game and he really got me prepared for college ball.”

