Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 22, 1994 TAG: 9501070024
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWIGHT FOXX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
With qualities like that, it's no wonder Hines is considered one of the premier point guards in the nation and the top floor general in Virginia this season.
Fleming head coach Burrell Paye has been a high school coach for 35 years, including the last 18 years at Fleming. He won't call Hines the best player he's ever had - or even the best point guard he's ever had. The legendary coach, who has won more than 400 games and one state title, says it's nearly impossible to compare players from era-to-era.
But he does say that Hines is a very special player.
"He's among the best I've ever had," Paye said. "He's right there with all of them."
The 5-foot-8 senior has been the starting point guard for the Colonels for four consecutive years. When he was a freshman, he led the team to a 13-10 record and a Northwest Regional berth. As a sophomore and junior, he led the team to a combined 42-12 record, two Northwest Regional championships, and back-to-back Final Four appearances at the Group AAA state tournament.
On Dec. 16, in a game at George Washington-Danville, Hines went over the 1,000-point mark for his career.
"He makes a lot better decisions now as he's gotten older," Paye said. "He's improved in points per game, assists per game, floor leadership and plays great defense. He's going to make somebody an All-American basketball player."
It was thought that Hines might join Oak Hill Academy's group of All-American players for his senior year and thus ruin Fleming's hopes of returning to the Group AAA state championship game. Fleming lost to Meadowbrook in last season's state title game.
"I've talked to Steve Smith, the coach at Oak Hill, and he told me he never talked to Derrick or to Curtis Staples [former Patrick Henry star and AAU teammate of Hines who is a freshman at Virginia] about Derrick," Paye said. "Derrick told me in February, 'Coach, [if] you don't retire [from Fleming], I won't retire [from Fleming].'"
Hines says he has met Smith at Nike camps and some basketball tournaments but there were no discussions about his coming into their program.
"There were a lot of rumors going on about me going to Oak Hill since my sophomore year," Hines said. "I never planned to go to Oak Hill. I want to show kids they can stay home and play for their hometown school and still get a Division I scholarship. You don't have to leave home to get a basketball scholarship."
The point guard sensation took the Scholastic Aptitude Test, better known as the SAT, on Dec. 2. He's waiting for his scores. In the meantime, he spends the majority of his evenings at home answering phone calls from recruiters.
"They're writing and calling," Hines said. "My phone rings off the hook. They want to know how I'm doing and stuff like that. It hasn't been as bad lately because there is a dead period right now."
He wants to play in the ACC but, if not, he'll take the best available offer.
"I think that's the best league to be in," Hines said.
His immediate concern is putting Fleming in a position where it can return to the state tournament for the third consecutive year.
"When I was a freshman, Patrick Henry was our biggest rival," Hines said. "Now, everybody is against us; Glass, G-W Danville, PH - everybody. It's me and my teammates against everybody. We can't be lackadaisical; everybody is out to beat us."
Right now, Hines is trying to get his teammates the ball and make everyone happy. But in February, when the games "really are important," according to Paye, the guard knows he may have to take over the game like he did last year against Cave Spring in the district tournament championship.
"I took over the game in the last three minutes and my teammates jumped on my back," Hines said. "I'm going to try and take us to a state championship this year. It's real hard to top the goals I set last year; to be first team All-State and everything. I want a state title so bad; that's what's driving me."
If Fleming is in the regional semifinals, down by one, with time running out, Fleming fans can bet their house the ball will be in Hines' hands as he attempts to hit a game-winning shot to put Fleming into the state tournament.
"I like going to away games were everybody is booing me," Hines said. "I can really get on my teammates to take their game to another level and I'll take my game to another level. Those are just the best moments. Definitely, I want the ball in my hands in clutch moments."
There is arguably no better scholastic point guard in Virginia and, maybe, the nation who can take and make such a crucial shot. Or dish to an open teammate.
by CNB