The news that hit Samantha Hines in November of 2013 was perhaps worse than hearing about any possible injury or illness.
Hines, the standout Ferris High School basketball player, was told she could not play for her entire junior year because of her academic status.
“I was hurt and really upset,” Hines said. “I couldn’t believe it. Every game I went to and watched, I felt so bad because I couldn’t be out there helping my team. I didn’t know I was going to be ineligible to play. I couldn’t have been more heartbroken. It was worse than being injured, just watching the team lose all the time. I was frustrated, because I know if I fulfilled my grades, I would have been out there and the team would have had a better record.”
As it turned out, the Bulldogs won all of four games all season without Hines.
Tom Corradino had just taken over the Ferris girls’ basketball program and was looking forward to working with Hines.
“I saw her on film and I said, “This girl is dynamite,’” Corradino said. “I knew she was capable of making everyone on the team better. It took a lot for me to overcome the fact that she wasn’t going to be with us.”
Corradino used the time to become familiar with his other players while hoping that Hines would be able to come back for her senior year.
“Anyone with less of a character would have gone somewhere else,” Corradino said. “But she looked at me and said, ‘I’m a Bulldog. I’m staying here.’”
“At the end of the year, I made sure that I was going to get my grades in order,” Hines said. “I took summer school classes to bring my credits up to be eligible to play. I worked hard in summer school. I had a job as well, so it was school, work and basketball. I wanted to make sure I was ready.”
So when November of 2014 rolled around, Hines was more than prepared. Her grades were in line and she was poised to go out with a bang.
“I was so anxious for the basketball season to start,” Hines said. “I wanted it to be my best year. It was going to be my year to shine and get colleges to come and recruit me. It was the beginning of a new me.”
Corradino was pleased to have Hines back in the fold.
“She has so much Bulldog pride,” Corradino said. “I knew I was her third coach in three years, but I don’t think she even thought about that. She knew me already as a person, because I taught her in English as a freshman. I knew she was going to come back.”
Corradino had a background coaching on the AAU and CYO levels, but never had a player as talented as the 6-foot-1 Hines.
“I knew once she was able to have that uniform back on, she was going to be Samantha Hines,” Corradino said. “She’s able to do so much. She can make such a big difference.”
Hines made her presence felt with an early 23-point, 10-rebound game against Memorial. A week later, Hines had 29 points, 14 rebounds, five steals and four blocks against Elizabeth.
Needless to say, she was back.
Last week, Hines had 23 points and eight rebounds in a win over McNair Academic, added 14 points and eight rebounds in a win over Dickinson and tossed in 24 points and had 10 rebounds in a win over Hoboken to improve to 8-4 on the season.
That’s right, the Bulldogs have already doubled their win total from a year ago, thanks to the presence of Hines.
For her efforts, Hines has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week.
Hines is currently averaging 20 points and nine rebounds per game. She’s ranked among the top 20 in scoring in the entire state, but Corradino is not shocked by her performance.
“I’m not surprised at all, because I see how hard she works every day,” Corradino said. “She is definitely making everyone better. That’s what good players do. People are now starting to notice her. Some have never seen her play before. She’s sudden. That’s the best way to describe her. She’s also mentally tough. She gets the ball and goes and does things naturally. She’s also the one who leads by example.”
Hines said that the year away made her a different player and definitely a different person.
“I’m more determined now and more driven,” Hines said. “I’m not surprised with what I’ve done as a player, because I always believed in myself. I just think I’m pushing myself more. I’m trying to get everyone involved. I feel good about it. I didn’t know if I could do all this after missing a year, but it feels good.”
Corradino described his standout player off the court.
“She’s very quiet, but she’s always focused on being Sammy Hines,” Corradino said. “She’s focused on being the best teammate she can be. No one can say a bad thing about her. Her smile lights up the room. People just generally like her and now people in the school want to come and see her play and see our team play. It’s exciting. She’s not the only part of our team, but she is the focal point.”
Hines hopes that her senior year surge will lead to a college offer. Right now, only Monroe Community College, where her cousin Breana Bey, the former Lincoln standout and 2012-13 Hudson Reporter Player of the Year, is currently a sophomore, is interested.
“I’m getting there,” Hines said. “I’m watching my grades and doing what I’m supposed to do.”
Corradino believes that Hines’ best basketball is still in front of her.
“I really believe that she can only get better,” Corradino said. “She can handle the ball. She can shoot. She plays defense and rebounds. I definitely see room for more development.”
If what she’s done this season is any indication, then the future looks bright for Samantha Hines. Finally. And she’s definitely made a name for herself this year with her impressive performance. She’s gone from the sidelines to the state’s scoring leaders in one year. That’s reason for excitement this basketball season at Ferris, where winning was once an absolute given. Hines is making that tradition return. – Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.