The CIAA is a Division II league, but has a recent history of producing big-league talent like Ben Wallace (Cleveland) and Ronald "Flip" Murray (Atlanta). Anthony Hilliard could be next. Hilliard isn't a national name, but the Elizabeth City State guard has the game. He owns back-to-back CIAA player of the year honors, a league tournament MVP award and could be on the verge of another all-America designation.

That's pretty heady stuff for a kid who was all but ignored by college recruiters coming out of 71st High School in Fayetteville, N.C.. How good is Hilliard? At 6-foot-3, he has finished in the top six in Division II rebounding the past two seasons and has more than 1,000 for his career. Hilliard is fifth in scoring this season at 23 points a game and third in rebounding at 11.3.

Most important, his team wins. He led the Vikings to the CIAA title as a sophomore and ECSU to its second-straight 20-win campaign this season, the first time that's happened since the program's glory days in 1970-72. Hilliard has immediate concerns, starting with the CIAA tournament in Charlotte Feb. 24-28.

ECSU is one of the favorites, but NBA scouts who routinely frequent the tournament will keep an eye on Hilliard, who already has the attention of Marty Blake, the league's scouting director. With the CIAA tournament on a national stage via ESPN, Hilliard is in position to grab more.