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Naperville Central’s TJ Hillman knew jumping from the freshman team to varsity would require a great leap forward.
But the sophomore point guard was up for the challenge.
“Getting on the varsity was my first goal,” Hillman said. “I knew I could be there, but I had to show it.
“Obviously, I’m a sophomore, I’ve got to go out there and play my hardest every day. So I did that.”
Hillman didn’t just make the varsity team. The 5-foot-10, 145-pounder has started the past three games for the Redhawks (5-3), who are just two wins away from equaling their win total from last season.
“Those first three games, I wasn’t playing my best,” Hillman said. “But once I started playing my hardest in practice, making sure I’m being a leader out there, I think I earned that spot, which is good.”
Naperville Central coach Pete Kramer concurred.
“He’s earned his right to start,” Kramer said. “You’ve got (Preston) Kuta and (Alex) Liabo that are battling for that position too. We’ve had different starting lineups almost every game, just depending on who is practicing well.”
Hillman has been practicing well consistently of late, providing a spark for a team that has just two returning starters, senior posts Jack First and Ross DeZur.
“He’s active, very active,” Kramer said. “He’s like a little battery. He gives us a lot of energy on both ends of the floor, but especially on defense. His basketball IQ is pretty high.”
Hillman’s energy was on display Wednesday during Naperville Central’s 60-42 nonconference loss to Willowbrook. The host Redhawks made just 4 of 25 shots in the first half and fell behind big early, but Hillman showed some gumption, taking a charge, coming up with two steals and dishing four assists.
“He’s been playing really hard,” First said. “He’s a hustle guy. He takes care of the ball, shoots the ball well, makes his free throws. He’s been doing everything we’ve asked of him, and I think we’ve been really pleased with how he’s been playing.”
Hillman patterns his game after that of his predecessor, Simon Krugliakovas, a freshman at North Central College.
Like Krugliakovas, who is 5-9 and 150 pounds, Hillman is slight of stature but full of competitiveness. He even wears No. 1, like Krugliakovas did.
“I think me and him are pretty similar, so when Kramer said pick whatever number you want, I’m going to go with someone who I’ve seen play,” Hillman said. “Simon was the first number I thought of.”
Hillman watched Krugliakovas excel as a 3-point shooter and use his floater to be effective on drives into the lane. Hillman didn’t do much of that against Willowbrook (3-3), scoring two points on 1-of-4 shooting.
“He has to look to score a little more,” Kramer said. “I think he passed up some shots that he had when he was open. Usually he shoots them, but he didn’t tonight. But he’s pretty heady.”
Indeed, Hillman knows he has a lot of room for improvement and is intent on getting better.
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“My strengths are defensively, getting after the ball and getting steals,” Hillman said. “My 3-point shooting hasn’t been the best this year, but I think I can easily build off that. I just have to keep confident.”
Hillman’s sisters Maggie and Abbey played Division I soccer, so he’s thought about trying to play college basketball one day. But that’s a long way off. He’s just trying to absorb advice from Kramer and older teammates like First, who is helping him adjust to the varsity level.
“The big thing is the environment is a lot different,” First said. “I feel like he might have been a little nervous out there the first couple games. But once you get used to it, you kind of settle in and have fun out there.
“That’s why he’s been playing better. He’s really stepped up.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.