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Hawks guard moves from injury to scoring threat

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Sports
Wednesday, 10 December 2008 01:00
Aaron Hill is the leading scorer for the Rockhurst University Hawks men’s basketball team, but there have been bumps along the road in getting to this point.
The 6-1 junior guard, who hails from Canton, Mo., leads the Hawks in scoring with a 20.4 average spread over the team’s first seven games. He has made 17 of 18 free throws for the season for a percentage of 89.
He earned Great Lakes Conference Player of the Week Nov. 17-22. Hill had 52 points at the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic in St. Joseph.
But getting to this point may have been the real feat.
Hill came to Rockhurst from Canton High School, where he was a two-time all-state player. He averaged 26 points, 10 rebounds and four assists per game in his senior year of high school during the 2003-2004 season.
He then redshirted in his first season with the Hawks.
“The biggest adjustments from high school to college are the speed of the game, how the game is played, how much more physical college basketball is and just how much better all of your competition is in college compared to high school,” Hill said.
He averaged 9.1 points per contest as a freshman and then in 2006-2007 led the Hawks in scoring ton the tune of a 13.2 average.
Then came the 2007-2008 season, and along with it, a major injury.
“I hurt my knee on Nov. 6,” Hill said. “It was in a preseason scrimmage against Northwest Missouri State. I was on a fast break when someone tried to take a charge against me. When we collided our knees hit, and I must have come down on it just wrong enough to injure it.”
The injury was a microfracture of the knee
 “Rehab was difficult,” Hill said, “because for the most part all I could do was wait for the knee to repair itself and re-grow new cartilage.
“The type of injury I had with all the cartilage I tore required me to just be patient for about eight months and do nothing,” he noted. “This is not necessarily a strong attribute of mine. I would rather have been working hard to get back to playing.”
While sitting and waiting for the injury to heal, “I absolutely gained a better appreciation for how much of a blessing it is to be able to play basketball,” he said. “Probably what I learned more than anything is how you should never take anything for granted. Each play may be your last.”
Did he learn anything from his year away from the game?
“Well, I’m a year older,” he said. “I think even with the injury I have worked hard to become a better player than I was a year ago. Also, I get the opportunity to play more with some other guys who I really enjoy playing with.”
As for Hill’s strengths as a basketball player, “I’m a pretty good shooter, and when I am playing well, everything starts with my shot offensively,” he said. “Being a good shooter allows me to capitalize on other opportunities to create off the dribble for myself or others.”
Hill rates among those players who are never satisfied.
“I always feel I can play better,” he said. “Because of the injury, I have a ways to go with getting my stamina and conditioning where they need to be. I am getting closer, but still have a ways to go.”
Hill will graduate this month with a degree in accounting. He is hopeful of receiving another year of eligibility due to missing last year.
“Assuming all goes well with that, I will thankfully have a little longer to decide what I want to do after college,” he said. “I will pursue my MBA here at Rockhurst while I finish my eligibility.”
He would like to continue with basketball beyond college. After all of his basketball opportunities are complete, he would like to pursue a career in public accounting.
Hill will find out whether he has another year of eligibility following the basketball season.

Contact Charles Redfield at (913) 385-6081 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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