Hille sisters are helping send terminally ill 12-year-old to Jamaica as they try to revive team.
By STEVE LEE
Published January 18, 2004
NEW PORT RICHEY - On the Hille sisters' wish list are more wins for River Ridge and more points for the backcourt tandem, which would help fulfill the dream of a terminally ill youngster.
For fraternal twins Lauren and Ryane Hille, each point they score generates donations for Steven, a 12-year-old Hillsborough County resident with sickle-cell anemia. Proceeds are earmarked for Steven's trip to Jamaica as part of the internationally acclaimed Make-A-Wish Foundation.
"They're really giving," the girls' father, Carl Hille, said. "I'm very proud."
"We want him to come watch one of our games," Lauren said. "That would be so cool. That's our wish."
It also might take some of the sting out of the second losing season for the sophomores, 16. River Ridge, which won five games last season, was 3-9 before Friday's game at Tampa Catholic.
Before that, the Hilles had always played on winning teams, from West Pasco youth leagues since they took up the sport as 11-year-olds to River Ridge Middle teams that won seventh- and eighth-grade conference titles and lost just once in two seasons.
"Coming to high school was hard. You hate to lose," said Ryane, whose 11.7 points per game trail Lauren's team-leading 12.2. "We want to win really bad, so we just play to full potential at all times."
The final of the Knights Holiday tournament exemplified the team's struggle and the twins' frustration. Lauren, the tourney's most valuable player, had 15 points and Ryane, who made the all-tournament team, added 14 in a last-second 41-40 loss to Mitchell on Dec.30.
"The first time we lost, my freshman year, I was kind of in shock," Lauren said. "It's just been kind of rough. Losing definitely changes your outlook on things. You can't take things for granted."
Coaches such as Mitchell's Stephanie Baldwin draw up game plans to stop the Hilles.
"They're quick and aggressive on defense and they're double trouble on offense," Baldwin said.
River Ridge coach Al Sorrentino concurs but emphasized the need for someone other than the Hilles to contribute if the team has any hope of turning things around.
"They rely a lot on each other," Sorrentino said. "Now they have to learn to have confidence in other people around them.
"We don't want to count on them more. We're trying to find that third or fourth player to step up. You can't survive with two people doing it all every night."
Jackie Studebaker, the team's third-leading scorer at 6.8, stepped up in a Jan. 7 loss to Wesley Chapel, setting personal highs of 17 points and 13 rebounds.
"(Opponents are) definitely double-teaming and trapping," Ryane said, adding she hopes teammates such as Studebaker contribute more.
For that to happen, the Hilles occasionally must fight their instinct to look for one another at the first sign of trouble.
"We kind of feel like we can read each other's mind," Lauren said.
Added Ryane, "We have a natural bond."
Ranking first and second in scoring is more than a desire to win games for the Hilles. It also reflects their competitiveness and goals to one-up the other.
"I want to win the game," Ryane said, adding, "I don't like her to blow me away in points."
Another benefit of scoring points for the girls is the money they are raising for Steven's trip.
"It makes us want to go out there and score more points than we do," Lauren said.
