It's official: Hilliard is headed to Villanova

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Basically saying it was "love at first sight," Liberty boys basketball star Darrun Hilliard made it official on Wednesday and revealed that he has accepted a scholarship offer from Villanova University and will continue his career on the Main Line beginning with the 2011-2012 season.

Hilliard becomes the first major Division I recruit from the Lehigh Valley in boys basketball since Aaron Gray went to Pittsburgh in 2003.

"I liked Villanova from the beginning," Hilliard said, noting he was impressed with the place when Liberty played Hempfield in the PIAA 4A quarterfinals in March at the Pavillion. "And then when I made my visit down there [earlier this summer] it felt like home."


Hilliard said that Villanova finally made a scholarship offer earlier this week, and Hilliard admitted that if the offer didn't come from Jay Wright's program, the recruiting process for him would have gone on through the rest of the summer and possibly into the school year.

The Lehigh Valley Conference's Most Valuable Player and Morning Call player of the year, who became the area's first first-team all-state selection since Gray in 2003, had used some stellar performances at AAU tournaments to become one of the coveted players in the country. He was the MVP at a major tournament in Neptune, N.J., and was one of the top players in the silver team bracket at a prestigious event in Orlando where Villanova was watching.

"I didn't really narrow it down, but my top schools [besides Villanova] were Iowa, Michigan, Notre Dame, Seton Hall; Boston College offered, too," he said. "Those schools are great schools. Villanova was just meant for me. The location is great and my family can come and see me play just 45 minutes away."

With the college decision now made, Hilliard said he can focus on helping Liberty win another District 11 4A title and advance deep into the state tournament.


Even though the Hurricanes graduated Brandon Holland, Jarrod West and Anthony Gonzalez from last year's 25-6 team, Hilliard alone makes Liberty one of the area's top teams entering next season. The Hurricanes won the Allentown Summer League for the second consecutive year on Tuesday night.

"This week was really hectic," Hilliard said. "I'm just glad to get this off my chest."

The 6-5 guard/forward, who averaged 18 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 52 percent from the field and 78 percent from the line, said Villanova keeping him waiting didn't bother him.

"Their recruiting process is different and they take their time," Hilliard said. "When they offer kids, they want them to come to their school. They don't give away scholarships for charity. As soon as they offered, I took it."

Assistant coach Mike Bachman, a close friend of Hilliard's, said he was proud of a young man who spent countless hours in the gym and weight room making himself an elite player.

"As a coach and friend of his, I'm so proud, because he deserves it," Bachman said. "This is what all that hard work, so early on so many mornings, has led to. We're fortunate to have him one more season and we're going to do everything we can to get him ready for Villanova and Division I basketball."

KEITH GROLLER

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/