Hickman leads Trojans into playoffs

For Troy High School junior Gabe Hickman, the leadership role he is shouldering for Troy’s basketball team isn’t a new thing.

Besides being the Trojans’ starting guard on the basketball team, he has also been the starting quarterback for Troy’s football team the last two seasons.

Hickman, one of the on- and off-court leaders for the Trojans, blazed by Eureka last Friday with 22 points in the last regular-season game for Troy. Hickman has averaged 12.3 points per game and five rebounds.

As the only player with previous varsity experience, Hickman was vaulted into a leadership position. He has embraced it, and the improvement he’s seen his team make during this season is just the result of everyone doing their jobs.

“I think we’ve progressed pretty good,” he said. “But we could improve on our turnovers.”

Troy (7-11) has struggled with the schools out of its conference, but has gone 6-2 in district 7-B, with the two losses coming to one of Class B’s best teams, Bigfork. Troy is ranked second in the conference.

Much of what success Troy has had comes from the experienced Hickman, who will take a 20-foot jump-shot as often as he’ll take the ball coast-to-coast for a penetrating layup.

“He’s a guy who, when he really gets after it, takes on the leadership role,” said Troy Head Coach Cory Andersen. “We’re working on him being in control and keeping his head up.”

The Trojans, not a terribly accurate team, will often live and die on their defense and the shooting of Hickman. His surrounding cast may not have his previous varsity experience, but they do have talent that allows him to go off.

The post play of Sean Opland and Bruce Metz and perimeter work of Austin Grable, Luke Haggerty, Gage Tallmadge and Nathan Olds dictate whether Hickman will spend time on the inside or outside.

   The humble point guard is as quick to shed praise and put it on his teammates as he is to kick the ball to them.

In the Eureka game, which starting center Metz sat out because of a leg injury, Hickman and his freshman teammate Opland combined for 41 of Troy’s 51 points.

“He brings great energy out there,” Hickman said of Opland.

One of the other leaders in the locker room, senior guard and 3-point specialist Grable – the only senior on the team – gives props to his fellow guard.

“He can motivate in the locker room,” Grable said. “He gets us thinking about what we need to be doing.”

As for Hickman, a Brooklyn Nets and Gonzaga basketball fan, he is grateful for all the support he receives.

“All the encouragement I get is huge,” he said. “Coach is always telling me to keep my head up, to keep shooting good.”

Hickman’s Trojans hosted third-seeded Thompson Falls as the second-seed Thursday night, and will move on to the Divisional tournament this Saturday in Libby.