Posted on Tue, Jan. 29, 2008

Miami Springs boys' basketball coach Robert Nolan said he plans to wear black the day basketball and football star T.Y. Hilton graduates.

''It'll be a happy day for him and for all of us,'' Nolan said. ``But I feel like it's a day of mourning because we'll be losing one of the best athletes this school has ever seen.''

Hilton's performances on the football field and basketball court have made him a strong candidate to become Miami Springs' first Miami Herald Male Athlete of the Year since star defensive end and wrestler Phil Jones in 1973.

Hilton would be only the second to win such award at the school that produced former NFL lineman Lomas Brown, baseball player John Cangelosi and where Baltimore Ravens and former University of Miami running back Willis McGahee played his first three years of high school.

Hilton (5-10, 160 pounds), a senior guard, is averaging 16 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 steals per game this season for the Golden Hawks (17-5).

QUARTERFINAL MATCH

Miami Springs will play South Miami on Tuesday night at the Cobras' gym in a Greater Miami Athletic Conference quarterfinal game.

''For a kid to be a starter and significant contributor for the four years he's been here, it's something rare even for the county as a whole,'' Nolan said. ``End to end line, I don't think there's anybody faster than him in Dade County.''

Hilton broke his collarbone at the start of his junior year and missed the majority of the football season.

After recovering from the injury in time for basketball season, Hilton helped the Golden Hawks advance to the regional playoffs for only the second-time in the history of the school.

Before Hilton's freshman season, Miami Springs had never advanced to regionals.

Healthy this year, Hilton led the Golden Hawks' football team to an 8-2 record by scoring 19 all-purpose touchdowns and catching 42 passes for 785 yards.

He played wide receiver, kick and punt returner, cornerback and safety.

It earned him an All-Dade first-team selection and a second-team All-State honor.

Hilton, who has 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, is rated a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, and is one of the most versatile college prospects in Miami-Dade.

He said Monday he has narrowed his top schools to three -- West Virginia, Mississippi and Florida International University.

A BIG YEAR

''He exploded on to the scene this season,'' said national recruiting analyst Larry Blustein. ``He runs well and jumps well. Nobody looked at him seriously because he was a two-sport guy. But once everyone saw his ability to make plays with his speed, he was on everybody's radar screen.''

Hilton said he visited Florida International and plans to visit West Virginia this weekend.

Earlier this month, he visited Mississippi.

''FIU's coaches really look like they know what they're doing over there,'' Hilton said. ``I really got to know them well and they seem to have a good vision of what they want to accomplish. I like them because I could see them doing big things in a couple of years.''

Hilton, who has a 2.86 GPA and will take his SAT next week, said he doesn't plan to announce his choice until national signing day Feb. 6.

West Virginia remains a strong option since Hilton said it was assistant coach Doc Holliday that began recruiting him when he was at the University of Florida.

''I know [FIU coach] Mario Cristobal would love to have him,'' Blustein said. ``He's a guy that once his body matures he could be weighing somewhere about 180 pounds by the time he's a junior and can be a serious playmaker.''