Prospect Watch: Robyion Hughes (2017)
Ritenour High basketball has experienced a big turnaround in the past couple of seasons and the biggest catalyst to the program’s new success has been its smallest player; Robyion Hughes. The 5’8″ 2017 point guard had led the Huskies to a…
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Continue ReadingRitenour High basketball has experienced a big turnaround in the past couple of seasons and the biggest catalyst to the program’s new success has been its smallest player; Robyion Hughes.
The 5’8″ 2017 point guard had led the Huskies to a 16-5 record, the championship of St. Charles West Warriors Classic and several other quality wins during the 2017 season.
“It feels great to lead the turnaround and to know that I’m leaving the program next year on probably one of the best seasons that Ritenour boys’ basketball has had in a long time,” Hughes said. “It’s a big accomplishment, but it only pushes me and my teammates to work even harder to keep improving. People hear about our turnaround and they want to know how its happening.”
It is happening because second-year coach Mike Nelke has installed a fast and furious style of play that has the foot on the accelerator at all times. In Hughes, there isn’t a better player around to lead this up-tempo band of runners and gunners in North County. With Hughes at the controls, the game remains at a fast pace at all times.
“It’s actually a lot of fun to play in an up-tempo system,” Hughes said. “Run and gun basketball, there’s no other way I would want to play, especially when the coach gives the green light to you and your teammates.”
Hughes has really excelled in Ritenour’s up-tempo system on both ends of the court. He averages nearly 19 points a game to lead the team. He is dangerous in transition, but he can also knock down 3-pointers with great range. Hughes has made 45 3-pointers this season. He is also averaging 2.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.1 steals while shooting 78 percent from the free throw line. He is also the key to the Huskies full-court pressure defenses that forces a boatload on turnovers each game.
Despite being only 5’8″, Hughes is a fearless competitor who backs down from nobody. He compensates for his lack of size with speed and quickness, but he also plays with a lot of toughness. He cites Boston Celtics’ star Isaiah Thomas as a role model as a small player who can dominate.
“Being small gives me a lot of motivation,” he said. “I’ve been the shortest player on the court about 99 percent of the time. When you see players like Isaiah Thomas dominating in the NBA at 5’7, it gives me more motivation to know that I can be a factor in high school basketball at my size.”