2 weeks Ago
The West Side point guard was never afraid of a big moment, never shying away from the big shot. After watching Hinton's bravery last season as just a sophomore, Cougars coach Christopher Buggs was pretty sure he had something special on his hands. "Sometimes," Buggs said, "he was a little too fearless.
" Hinton averaged 11 points a game during the 2023-24 season, earning an Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Underclass All-State nod and a spot on Team North in the Futures game. He'd impress with 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the star-studded exhibition. All of it earned him the attention of Division I coaches.
The problem with his sophomore campaign, according to Buggs, was that his lack of fear could also manifest itself in mistakes. This winter, Hinton is looking to reign in those errors and become a better point guard for West Side. "You can't do anything without a point guard," Hinton said.
"It's like having a second coach on the floor. I need to be a better person to the guys around me as well as working on my jump shot, my IQ and passing — just everything." Hinton's development is a key reason Buggs and Co.
think the Cougars could be in for a big season. Last year, West Side won 15 games, good enough for its first winning season since 2020-21. The Cougars think they're set to be even better this year.
A move to Class 3A this season means West Side no longer competes in the always-daunting Class 4A Sectional 1, but Great Lakes Athletic Conference rival East Chicago Central also made the move down a class and projects to make Sectional 17 one of the area's toughest. "We just need to focus on ourselves," Buggs said. "We need to focus on what we need to do to be worthy.
" The Cougars have a long history of basketball excellence. They're winners of 12 sectionals in their history, but only three of those have come since the turn of the century. With Hinton and a host of other talented returners, West Side wants to reclaim its spot among the Region's best programs.
It's not going to be an easy task. Buggs intentionally saddled the Cougars with a tough schedule. One thing is for certain though, West Side doesn't need to worry about Hinton being afraid of the challenge.
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