Word reached Roy Hinson that his name was in the news last week, and the reason surprised him: For the first time since his dominant senior year of 1982-83, a Rutgers basketball player recorded a triple-double in a college game.
Dylan Harper’s 16-point, 12-assist, 11-rebound effort in a romp of Columbia ended the program’s 42-year triple-double drought since Hinson’s 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks against Rhode Island – actually his second triple-double of a season that earned the 6-foot-9 forward Atlantic-10 Player of the Year honors.
“It is still amazing to me that no one at Rutgers got a triple double after I left, because they’ve had some good players,” Hinson said Saturday, from his home in Florida.
Maybe so, but only two Scarlet Knights became first-round NBA Draft picks since Hinson was chosen 20th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers: Quincy Douby and Dahntay Jones (who played his final two seasons at Duke). That’s going to change in June with Harper and forward Ace Bailey, who are lighting up the scoreboard – but whose efforts are not translating to the win column often enough for the Scarlet Knights. At 8-6 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten, Rutgers needs at least a 2-1 showing in the coming three-game homestand against 11-3 Wisconsin (Monday), 10-4 Purdue (Thursday) and 11-3 UCLA (Jan. 13) to bolster a resume that is far short of NCAA Tournament standards at the moment.
On rebounding: ‘You have to want it’
The Scarlet Knights’ biggest problem has been rebounding – they gave up a whopping 34 second-chance points in Thursday’s 10-point loss at Indiana. Hinson knows a thing or two about that, having averaged 8.6 per game as a senior and 7.2 over the course of his career on the banks.
“The guys who are excellent rebounders, it’s about positioning – and feeling that every ball that went up is theirs,” he said. “You can teach somebody the principles, but it really has to come from within. They have to have that burning desire: I want it.”
Hinson remembers Rutgers coach Tom Young making this point to him during a flight to face North Carolina in 1982.
“He got me on the back of the plane and said, ‘You have the ability to be a much better rebounder but, you have to want it,’” Hinson recalled. “He referenced Kermit Washington, who played for him at American University (and led the nation in rebounding in back-to-back seasons). Kermit felt that every ball that went up to the basket was his.”
Hinson grabbed 12 boards against the Tar Heels and averaged 10 per game the rest of the season. He thinks the 6-foot-10 Bailey, who is averaging 7.7 boards, has that in him.
“If he works on his positioning and has that motor, I can’t see anybody stopping him,” Hinson said.
Development turned upside-down
Times have changed since Hinson emerged from Franklin High School. He started for Rutgers out of the gate as a freshman and averaged 9.7 points and 5.6 boards that first season, gradually developing into his starring role as an NCAA Tournament team grew around him.
Those growth patterns are all but gone, tossed aside by the free agency that has turned college hoops upside down. In an ideal world, he said, Harper and Bailey would be working hand-in-glove with upperclassmen who are steeped in head coach Steve Pikiell’s culture. But this Rutgers team has just one guy who previously played a full season for Pikiell.
“Fortunately I had (elder Rutgers standout) Kelvin Troy in my ear all the time, saying, ‘big fella, you gotta work harder,’” Hinson said. “That has to come from teammates, because it’s better received coming from your teammates, more so than the coaches.”
If it were up to Hinson, the NBA would return to allowing high-schoolers into the draft and NCAA transfer restrictions would return.
“If you’re good enough to (make the NBA) out of high school, you should be able to do so,” he said. “But for the ones who go to universities: Commit to getting better there. Don’t let outside influences dictate when you leave that university. A lot of guys are leaving (programs) too early. They need a second or third year to mature.”
The areas that have troubled Rutgers so far – defensive connectedness, limiting offensive rebounds, shot selection and ball movement at times (Hinson would love to see Harper and Bailey in more pick-and-roll action) – a lot of it comes in due time with development, but the clock is ticking with two one-and-dones.
“One thing I didn’t appreciate then that I do now: film sessions,” Hinson said. “Show them positioning, show them where they’re lazy on defense – you have to keep pouring that into these guys to help them understand the game. A lot of these guys who are the best players on their high school teams, they develop bad habits because they’re used to doing what they want to do. With Dylan, you can see, he has that pedigree from his brother and his father; they pour that into him all the time, I’m sure. Ace Bailey, hopefully he has someone in his ear to help.”
Hinson played eight seasons in the NBA, averaging 14.2 points and 6.8 boards. He used to go up against fellow Rutgers grads in the league, guys like James Bailey and John Battle. Right now there are a couple of Rutgers alums on two-way contracts but only Jones, who is associated with Duke, caught on long-term in this century. That seems highly likely to change, and that’s a good thing for the program’s brand.
“I watch pro football and I hear all the time, ‘they went to Rutgers University,’” Hinson said. “You don’t have anyone in the NBA (full-time) from Rutgers. It will be nice to see, and I’ll be right there cheering them on.”
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
