Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week: Hilton does it all as Manning sweeps Lake City

Manning center Jehqwauyn Hilton is used to being the last line of defense.

The lanky big man controls things for the Monarchs down low, swallowing up drivers and grabbing rebounds. That was no more evident than last week, when Hilton had a combined 15 blocks across two wins over Lake City. Hilton's efforts on both sides of the ball helped him earn the Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week.

"It means a lot," Hilton said of the support of the Manning community. "It means a lot to me, the team, the coaches. It just means a lot."

Manning was fighting to stay in the running at the top of Region VI-3A when they faced off against Lake City twice last week. Hilton knew what was at stake in each of the games, so he was locked in from the jump.

"My mindset was we have to have it," Hilton said. "I want to make it to state. We got to have it, so I had to bring my best out."

Hilton got out to a strong start on Wednesday, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds to go with five blocks in a 55-44 win. He then took his game to a new level on Friday. In a game that was decided by just seven points, Hilton scored 20 points to go along with 14 rebounds and 10 blocks.

Every point was crucial as the Monarchs came away with a 67-60 win. Star guard Justin Daniels finished with 15 points, but he struggled from the field going 6-26. Hilton could tell his longtime teammate wasn't playing to his usual standards, so the Monarch big man stepped up to carry the team to the win.

"My mind was set on one thing, and it was winning the game," Hilton said. "I saw that (Daniels) wasn't doing as usual, so I had to give him that uplift so we could get on top of it because this was a game we need. We've been playing since seventh grade, so we know how each other play."

It was a week of excellent defense for Hilton. His ability to support the Manning perimeter players if an opponent beats them on the outside is crucial for the Monarch defense. He's more than happy to be the last line of defense.

"Everybody counts on me for the blocks so we can get the ball out faster," Hilton said. "I have to get the blocks and get the rebounds so I can get it out to Doobie (Daniels) or any other guards so we can run the floor faster."

Head coach Shawn Johnson is proud of the way Hilton has continued to develop throughout the season.

"Jehqwauyn has really grown as a player," Johnson said. "He is more aggressive, and he's playing up to his talents. I'm proud of him."

Manning followed with tough losses to Crestwood and Lakewood on Monday and Tuesday this week, taking them out of contention for a region title, but Hilton still has his eyes set on the ultimate prize.

"The goal for us is to make it to state," Hilton said. "Everyone just has to do their part for us to get there. It starts with the little things like coming to practice, doing what we're supposed to be doing, listening, no horseplaying. It all plays a part to getting to where we're supposed to be. That's what we're looking for, to make it to state."