Prep star Hill headed to UCI

Steve Virgen

Mark Hill, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound forward/guard from Bishop Gorman

High in Las Vegas, said Tuesday he has committed to play basketball

at UC Irvine.

Hill, who averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per

game this past season for the Gaels (23-7), was a four-year varsity

performer and a starter on the Gaels’ 2001-02 state championship

team. This past season, Bishop Gorman finished fourth in the Sunset

Region, marking the first time in Hill’s four years, the Gaels did

not win or reach the state title game. Bishop Gorman also won the

state championship when Hill was a freshman and reached the state

title game the next season.

Hill said he enjoyed the official visit he took at UCI, March 7-9.

“Once I left UCI, I knew it was the right place for me,” Hill said

in a telephone interview Tuesday. “It was really close to my family

and it was a UC school. Every other week, my mom can maybe come see a

game. I was impressed with the coaching staff and I felt a real

chemistry between the coaches and the players, too.”

University of New Mexico, Santa Clara, and Portland also pursued

Hill, who described himself as an all-around player and “a pretty

good passer.”

“He can play the wing and go inside sometimes,” Bishop Gorman High

Coach Grant Rice said. “If we needed a big basket, we knew he could

take over. He really was a leader for us this past year. He led us in

every offensive category and he could have probably scored more, but

we like to pass the ball.”

During Hill’s four years at Bishop Gorman, the Gaels won 108 games

and Hill was a starter his final three years, Rice said. Hill earned

first-team all-region and second-team all-state honors this past

season, and first-team all-state laurels in 2002.

Rice also said Hill excelled in football, as a wide receiver and

might have had scholarship offers from Division I schools, but he

chose to concentrate on basketball.