Aside from being a member of the first Birmingham Squadron team and a main focus of Alex Squadron’s terrific book, Life in the G, Malcolm Hill is one of those players who always seems to give the kind of performance that is needed on any given night.
Hill played in all 16 of the Squadron’s Showcase Cup contests and averaged 19.3 points while playing 34.8 minutes per game.
Entering tonight’s regular season contest, Hill had popped in 21.5 points per night, averaging 35.2 minutes of court time.
He’s not only a fan favorite, but a favorite of his coach.
“He is what Squadron basketball is all about,” Birmingham boss T.J. Saint said earlier in the week. “He is one of my favorite human beings. We talked to him this summer and he came back here to try and make one more push. He is one of the foundational pieces forever of the Birmingham Squadron, and I love him to death.”
Hill showed why he’s so easy to love on Thursday in Birmingham’s 134-125 victory over the Iowa Wolves at Legacy Arena.
Hill turned in a next-level performance for the New Orleans Pelicans’ G League affiliate, recording an all-time team record 44 points and grabbing 13 rebounds for a double-double. It came just three days after he scored 30 in a win over Raptors 905.
“It was a great win,” said Hill, whose team improves to 4-5. “It was good to start a little bit of a win streak, and it’s always good to protect the home court. The coaching staff did a great job preparing us and (Iowa) played a great game.”
Hill had offensive help from E.J. Liddell, who scored 24 points, and Jalen Crutcher, who added 20.
Izaiah Brockington finished with 17 points and Trey Jemison had a game-high 15 rebounds.
Tyrese Martin came off the bench to lead Iowa (2-7) with 29 points, followed by Leonard Miller (28), Josh Minott (19), D.J. Carlton (17), Lance Stephensen (14) and Javonte Cooke (11).
“I thought Martin and Cooke hit some really good, contested threes,” Saint said. “They were timely and kind of kept them in it. I didn’t think our defense was bad, they just hit contested shots.”
Hill was lights out in the first quarter, netting 17 points to help the Squadron take a 38-31 lead. Liddell added 10 Birmingham points while no Iowa player had more than seven through the first 12 minutes.
The Minnesota Timberwolves farm hands stormed back in the second stanza, however, with Miller and Minott combining for 25 points, Carlton pumping in 11 and Martin logging 10 more.
Hill and Liddell continued to set a torrid pace for the Squadron, and at halftime Hill had accounted for 28 points, Liddell was good for 18, and Birmingham was on top, 75-67 – a Squadron record for most points in an opening half.
Both teams shot the ball well in the third frame, playing each other even. Hill made his 30th point 1:12 into the period and heading into the fourth quarter the home team’s lead stood at eight, 105-97.
The eventual winners never pulled away completely over the final 12 minutes but they were able to keep the Wolves at bay to secure their second consecutive victory.
“This was a big-time win, especially against a team that played a really good basketball game,” Hill said. “It was a point of emphasis for us tonight to finish the job, finish the possession … early in the season we had a problem securing the rebound on second chance points and points in the paint, so it felt good to make a contribution there.”
Just over a fourth of the way through the regular season, Saint thinks his team might be ready to make a push.
“We’ve got to make up a little ground, but these guys keep exhibiting champion-like essence,” Saint said. “If we can just get healthy, get the right pieces when (two-way player Dereon Seabron) comes back and Landers Nolley is back in the fold, then we’ve got a chance.
“We talked about over the summer bringing in championship-type people, and you can tell this is a real team who cares a lot about each other. They’re a lot of fun to coach.”
Thanks for the memories: Kira Lewis Jr.’s MLK Day appearance for the Squadron was his last.
The Pelicans announced on Wednesday they had traded the former Alabama star and a 2024 draft pick to the Indiana Pacers for cash considerations.
Lewis Jr. averaged 5.4 points per game for New Orleans over four seasons.
In three appearances for Birmingham, he averaged 22.3 points and his two free throws in the waning moments proved to be the difference in the Squadron’s 108-105 victory over Raptors 905 on Monday.
OTD in 1948: The Birmingham Vulcans beat the Nashville Vols, 76-53, in a Southern Professional Basketball League game played at the National Guard Armory.
Horace Peterson led the charge, with Steve Kontos finishing with 15 points and Shag Hawkins and Wheeler Leeth finishing with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
OTD in 1949: The Birmingham Steelers of the SPBL lost to the Laurel Oilers, 73-65, in front of 1,500 fans in Laurel, Mississippi.
Johnny Murphy paced the Steelers, scoring 21 points, while Bob Murphy added 15 more.
Up next: Birmingham closes out its home stand on Saturday when the Cleveland Charge, G League affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers, comes to Legacy Arena for a 7 p.m. tip.
It’ll mark the first-ever meeting between the Squadron and Charge.