From Vista Ridge to the Elite Eight, Nikki Cardano-Hillary making an impact
Photo Credit: C. MORGAN ENGEL/NCAA PHOTOS
Nikki Cardaño-Hillary jumped in front of a pass, sprinted around a flailing defender and made the first bucket of the game for Indiana in the Hoosiers' upset win over N.C. State in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night.
From Spain to Vista Ridge High School and George Mason to Indiana, Cardaño-Hillary has had success wherever she’s been, and that continues as the Hoosiers advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in school history this season.
“That’s no accident,” Vista Ridge girls’ basketball coach Keith Allen said. “She’s a winner. She loves the game of basketball, and she pours her heart and soul into it, so of course, she’s going to be great at it. She deserves every bit of success she’s had.”
Cardaño-Hillary scored 14 points and had a team-high four steals in Indiana’s historic win over the Wolfpack.
Allen said he wasn’t going to miss the chance to go to the Alamodome to watch a player that helped the Rangers reach the state tournament in the same stadium twice during her high-school career.
“It’s been a crazy ride,” Cardaño-Hillary said. “I’ve been fortunate to play on so many great teams with so many great coaches and teammates. Just to come here again and play again with Indiana, it’s a dream come true.”
On top of her deep postseason trips at Vista Ridge, she was a McDonald’s High School All-American Nominee.
She spent three seasons at George Mason after graduating from Vista Ridge, where she was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the year in 2017-18, Player of the Year in 2018-9 and became the Patriots’ all-time leading scorer in 2020.
She was expected to come off the bench at Indiana but has seen her role increase over the last part of the regular season, starting the last 12 straight games. While she averages a modest 8.8 points per game, she’s third on the team in both steals (30) and assists (47).
The Hoosiers are 15-1 when Cardaño-Hillary has started a game this season.
“She’s having success, and because of it, our team is having success in the pressure she’s providing on the ball right now,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said after a win against Ohio State last month. “She’s just been so good at playing other team’s point guards and making them uncomfortable.”
Cardaño-Hillary grew up in Spain before coming to the United States in middle school. While her true passion was always basketball, she also played soccer, and some of that footwork translated to the court.
“She has really quick feet and quick steps,” Allen said. “Her lateral movement is really good. X’s and O’s wise, she turns the offense constantly. She has a really high motor, and that’s always been the case.”
Vista Ridge has had a steady line of players succeeding at the Division I level: Japreese Dean stood out at Texas Tech and later UCLA, Danielle Ramey at Florida, Cardaño-Hillary and Victoria Baker at UC-Irvine. McDonald’s High School All-American Nominee A.J. Marotte is committed to play at Washington next season.
Cardaño-Hillary stands out to Allen, He said as a high school student, she would come to the team practice at 6 a.m. before going to work out with her personal trainer at night to get in even more work.
“I’m not surprised that she’s right at the heart of it,” Allen said. “I think she’s at Indiana because she wanted to challenge herself. I’m really happy for her that she’s getting to experience the highest of the high, that she’s getting to be a part of the best basketball in the country.