Player Profile: Hillsboro Indians

Tyrand Cumberland and Chase Gilliland have been playing the game of basketball since they were in elementary school, playing on the same teams, and last season as juniors they were a part of the first South Central Ohio League boys basketball championship in nearly 20 years at Hillsboro.
   
Now they are seniors, and the team is theirs to lead. They want to continue to keep the momentum of last season for their final year on the court.
   
As their senior year has arrived, just how did they each first get involved with the sport?
   
"When I was little, my dad (Tyrone) would play at the gym, and I just watched the older people play and I liked it. I got a basketball of my own and started playing basketball myself," Cumberland said.
   
"In the third grade, I wasn't playing basketball, and I had a buddy come and ask me if I wanted to play," Gilliland said. "I hadn't played in a year … when I was in second grade, I played basketball for my grandpa on a team with my older brother (Tye), who was three years older than me. I finally got the choice to play on a team my own grade. I tried it out, and I've stuck with it. I've never taken a year off since the third grade."
   
What about the game itself … why did they continue to play the sport into their senior season? What are they looking forward to this year?
   
"I just like the competition, and I hate losing. It is just fun to get out there and play as hard as I can," Gilliland said. "I'm looking forward to the competition. This should be a pretty good year, and we know everyone is coming at us since we won the league last year. It's going to be tough, but it should be fun."
   
Cumberland equaled the statements of Gilliland.
   
"I just love the intensity of the game. I love the flow of the game and competing," Cumberland said. "I've kept playing basketball just because I love the game. It's what I love to do. For my senior season, I just want to continue to play hard and go out with a bang."
   
This duo, along with the rest of their teammates, were a part of the aforementioned SCOL title last year. In the game at Hillsboro High School, the Indians defeated the London Red Raiders 48-37 on a Friday night. Following the game, once the final buzzer sounded, fans of the Tribe flooded the floor to celebrate with the team for their long-awaited championship as it was the first SCOL title in boys basketball since the 1989-90 season.
   
"Winning the league title last year was good. I thought we played really well last year … we had a few games where we were up-and-down, but what team doesn't have that? It was good … the celebration … I've never had a feeling like that," Cumberland said.
   
"The celebration we had last year after winning the title was an adrenaline rush like I've never experienced before in my life," Gilliland said. "There is really no comparison. It would really be nice to have that again, hopefully we can do that."
   
Gilliland spoke about the days leading up to the game with London and how a lot of outcomes went in favor of the Indians. HHS shared the league title with Miami Trace last year, and in fact, a lot did go the way of Hillsboro.
   
"It was crazy, I remember (Trace was up two games) and we went and watched the Greenfield game and they lost there. Then about 15 or 20 of us went to the Court House game," Gilliland said. "We were sitting on the Court House side, and after the game, all the Court House people ran over to us (Washington won) and were putting their hats on us and telling us that was for us and giving us high fives. Besides actually winning the SCOL title, that was the next best feeling of the year."
   
Another facet of the game this duo will take over is the leadership role of the Indians. Both players praised last year's captains in Aric Carroll and Eli Hogsett.
   
"It's all right (being one of the leaders)," Cumberland said. "Last year we had Eli and Bundy (Aric Carroll), and we looked up to them. Now we have people looking up to me and Chase."
   
"It means a lot. I know Eli and Bundy did a lot for us last year, and we'll miss them a lot," Gilliland said. "We looked up to them, and they were a huge part of our team. Filling in their spots is a big step up. We know we have to follow in their footsteps and take control of the team."
   
As the season is set to start on Dec. 2 for HHS, this time of year was a good opportunity for each player to travel down memory lane to talk about some favorite times in basketball.
   
"During my fifth and sixth grade years was one of favorite times playing basketball. I liked just playing basketball with everyone in those grades back then," Cumberland said. "It was good, and we had a lot of people on the team and got to go to Cleveland and play."
   
"My favorite moment was last year in the Whiteoak game. I had the last-second buzzer beater that sent us into overtime. Well, I didn't think I was getting the shot," Gilliland said. "We were playing for Devanté (Ames) to drive to the hole. I was just kind of standing on the wing, and he just came to me, and I didn't have any other choice but to take a couple dribbles and shoot it, and it went in."
   
Cumberland ended by putting everything in perspective.
   
"Chase and I have played basketball together all our lives, and that is a good feeling. I'm going to miss it once we graduate," Cumberland said. "Playing basketball is just a good way to get out and have a chance to go play college basketball. One of my goals is to play college ball.
   
"As for this season … I just want our team to play hard and win as many games as we can."[[In-content Ad]]