Junior Robert Hite played a role he is very familiar with this season.
While attending Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, Hite became the leader of his team and a player that teammates could look up to. This season was no different for 6’2″ guard.
“I probably have the most experience on this team, and so the players look up to me,” Hite said. “I’m ready to take the role head on.”
After having a vocal leader for his first two seasons in Darius Rice, Hite is the obvious choice when looking up and down the roster at who is capable of stepping into Rice’s big shoes. Hite proved last season that he can lead a team, averaging 15.2 points per game last season, and showed why his nickname is Flight, wowing the Convocation Center crowd with his 39-inch vertical leap.
Out of high school, Hite was looking at many schools, but Miami stuck out not just for the sights and sounds that draw so many students to South Florida, but for the coaching staff in particular. Hite passed up on hometown Xavier, Cincinnati, Georgetown and Dayton, primarily because he would be able to contribute right away.
The ‘Canes had been picked to be the doormat of the conference by many publications, but Hite and the rest of the Hurricanes knew that they are capable of competing with the best in the land.
“We just want to go out there and prove people wrong,” Hite said. “We want to compete every night, and do what we have to do to get wins.”
Douglas C. Kroll can be contacted at
d.kroll@umiami.edu.