Staff Blogs
Lake Country Publications Sports Director JR Radcliffe provides tidbits and details on the Lake Country prep sports scene, from live gameday blogs and exclusive interviews to commentaries and observations.
Hughes has become a media darling
I like to think we were slightly ahead of the Trevon Hughes story at Lake Country Publications when we ran our story "Raising the Guard" during his sophomore year with the University of Wisconsin basketball team two years ago.
The voyage has been a circuitous one for Hughes, from Queens, NY to a small military academy in Delafield, where Hughes became a standout in the Wisconsin prep basketball scene.
Now a senior, the St. John's graduate has become a focal point of the Badgers offense, guiding Bucky to an outstanding start, surefire berth in the NCAA Tournament and recent big-time win over Michigan State, which came into the Kohl Center undefeated in league play Feb. 2.
It's not just the local paper that's taking notice now. Hughes, one of 11 finalists for the Cousy Award, given anually to the nation's best point guard, has been a key reason why the Badgers have stayed afloat despite an injury to top post player Jon Leuer.
As has been the Wisconsin calling card through the years, the Badgers seldom make mistakes and entered the latter half of last week leading the nation with 9.2 turnovers per game. That's more than a full turnover better than the next-closest school in a major conference. The point guard also leads the team with 15.5 points per game.
The Hughes story has become fodder for many national publications. USA Today ran a piece prior to that Michigan State game that briefly touched on Hughes' sometimes-tumultuous trip as an eighth grader to another part of the country. Though Hughes looks back on the experience at St. John's as a crucial component of his maturation, the story relayed a story of how his mother brought Hughes to the area under the pretense of a football camp, then stocked his room with supplies and told her son he was there to stay.
"Once my mom left, everything changed," Hughes said in the article, penned by Marlen Garcia. "It was like a movie where at first people act real polite when someone is around. Once the grownup leaves, it was a whole new saga."
Mother Twanna Hutchinson talked more in-depth about how she chose St. John's and what prompted her to move her son cross country in a beautiful piece written by Luke Winn of CNNSI.com.
"I think [Trevon] decided to stay in Wisconsin, because he'd made a name for himself there, almost like a celebrity," Hutchinson also said in the article, which ran Jan. 13. "It was like a home away from home."
Hughes was also featured in a recent episode of Big Ten Network offering "The Journey," a captivating documentary profiling life in the Big Ten Conference for the 11 men's basketball teams. Hughes gave a mini-tour of the St. John's campus and showcased some of the landmarks in his upbringing.
Coach Brian Richert relays a story on the program about how he had to kick Hughes out of the historic St. John's gym many times, but the guard kept coming back. Several years later, it looks like a good thing he did.
The BTN frequently runs repeats of "The Journey," so check it out if you get the opportunity. One of the better college sports success stories from the Lake Country area, there is no doubt Hughes' story is engaging on a behind-the-scenes level, as well.
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For bite-size updates on Lake Country athletics, visit the Preps Alcove on
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