First-year VCU basketball guard checks all the boxes

Andrew McGhan, Contributing Writer

Kyler Gilliam, Contributing Writer

First-year guard Terrence Hill Jr. is from Portland, Oregon and is now a part of the VCU men’s basketball team this season.

While attending Roosevelt High School in Portland for his senior year, he helped lead the basketball team to a district title and to an appearance in the 6A state championship game, according to VCU Athletics.

Coming out of high school, Hill said he was originally committed to Utah State University.

However, due to the coaching staff leaving to take different jobs at other schools, he changed his mind and committed to VCU, according to Hill.

He said he was unsure of what to do next until VCU head coach Ryan Odom and assistant coach Bryce Crawford reached back out to him to see if he would be interested in playing for them.

“I didn’t know what I really was going to do. Coach Bryce and coach Odom actually reached out to me during my sophomore year,” Hill said. “So, we’ve been connected ever since then.”

Hill’s ability on the basketball court was not the only reason he was recruited to VCU, it was also his character, personality and academics, according to Odom.

“He checks all the boxes off the court,” Odom said.

Through the recruiting process, Hill’s basketball skills really stuck out to the coaching staff, according to Odom.

“From a basketball standpoint he’s got game, he can really play,” Odom said. “Doesn’t matter who he’s going against — bigger guy, smaller guy — he gets where he wants on the court.”

Hill brings a spark to offense that has impressed Odom during his short time here in Richmond, according to Odom.

“He can really score the basketball,” Odom said. “He can shoot from three, he can drive to the basket and score.”

Odom also raved about his pass ability and his “wicked handle.”

Hill said he believes his creativity in playmaking sets his game apart from others.

His teammates enjoy his creativeness, especially on alley-oop opportunities, according to Hill.

Hill is a West Coast product and is adjusting to college life and East Coast life. Portland and Richmond are different, he said.

“I would say the time difference, you just got to get used to it,” said Hill.

Hill’s adjustment is aided by his elder teammates, such as graduate student guard Zeb Jackson, he said. He credits Jackson and VCU graduate student guard Phillip Russell for helping him improve his defensive intensity.

“I feel like you got to have a lot of defensive intensity to impact the floor,” Hill said. “Guys like Zeb and Phil, seeing how they pick up 94, so I definitely want to add that to my game and improve on it.”

Jackson said he has been impressed with the young guard’s competitiveness on the defensive side of the ball and that Hill seems to appreciate the older guards’ intensity.

“On defense, he’s just a competitor. Terrence is a hooper,” Jackson said.

Odom said he is happy Hill joined the Rams this season and is excited for the future that the young guard can have in the program.

“He is somebody that we were really confident in, we were excited and very fortunate to have him here with us,” Odom said.