Newest Spartan Basketball Star Jasmine Hines is taking her basketball talents to East Lansing
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Jasmine Hines is taking her basketball talents to East Lansing
Jasmine Hines probably has a good-sized trophy case in her house, but she may need to think about expanding it as she heads to a new basketball sanctuary in the fall.
Hines is Michigan State's newest female basketball player to gain critical acclaim, and she may be the most decorated player in quite some time to suit up for the Spartans.
The Central Lake High School senior is Michigan's all-time leading scorer and rebounder when it comes to girls basketball. The 6-foot-3 forward averaged 29 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks this past season as she led her Central Lake Trojans to a 26-1 record and an appearance in the Class D semifinals.
She has already won numerous awards as well, including Miss Basketball, Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year and Associated Press Class D Player of the Year. She just earned more recognition the other day, being named by PARADE as an All-American high school athlete — only the second in MSU history (Tiffanie Shives, 2005).
She recently talked to Spartan Nation regarding her decision to join Suzy Merchant at Michigan State.
"I've always been a Michigan State fan," Hines said. "I just love it down there -- the people, the environment, the basketball tradition. I love everything about it and just felt comfortable there. I love all the girls on the team and the coaches, and wanted to go somewhere close to home."
She also had a good recruiting story to share, saying that she used Skype to talk with her future coach, Merchant, because she couldn't tell her in person. Her track coach went on-screen and told Merchant that Hines decided to pass on Michigan State and attend the University of Michigan, completely shocking the well-mannered Merchant. That was, however, until Hines went on the computer and told Merchant that was all a joke and that she can't wait to be a Spartan.
"(Merchant) is definitely very energetic and I think the following years will be fun because we both have a love of the game,"
Hines said.
That good-natured attitude is just part of Hines' nature. Instead of saying she has a dislike for Michigan, she just says, "They're alright." But don't let her courtesy off the court fool you, because she is as gritty as they come on the hardwood. She was so competitive in high school that she used to play in three-on-three tournaments with the guys in her school because, as she put it, "I hate losing."
She is a great fit and a great addition to Michigan State's women's hoops program. Playing in college is a dream come true for her, but with her talent it isn't a surprise for anyone who knows her or has seen her play. She even hopes to one day play in the WNBA, but she's not getting too far ahead with herself.
"I want to see how the whole college experience goes," she said.
If she plays in college like she did in high school, her dreams just may end up coming to fruition.
