Hillcrest’s Jamir Ratliff has a personal creed about not letting the weight of expectations bother him. But the senior guard certainly felt the burden a bit earlier this winter as he was asked to take on a starring role. Especially after fellow senior Maximilian Carmicle, a Purdue football recruit who was expected be the team’s top post player, went down with a season-ending injury in December. “I kind of live by the motto of, ‘No pressure,’” Ratliff said. “I try to play freely and calm. But when Max went down, it scared me a little bit. I tried to do too much at first. “But we picked it back up.” They sure did. And Ratliff has settled into his stardom quite naturally. He took over Tuesday night, scoring 33 points to lead the host Hawks to a 62-49 win over Thornton in a Class 3A Hillcrest Sectional semifinal. Jamari Thomas added 10 points for second-seeded Hillcrest (22-8), while Ja’Sean Greene finished with eight points and seven rebounds and Terrence Richardson chipped in with five points and three blocked shots. Hillcrest’s Jamir Ratliff (1) puts up an outside shot against Thornton during a Class 3A Hillcrest Sectional semifinal game in Country Club Hills on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown) The Hawks advanced to play at 6 p.m. Friday night in the sectional championship game against top-seeded Leo (26-6), which rolled to a 68-38 victory over Morgan Park in the other semifinal. “I can’t wait for that game,” Greene said. “I don’t want to go home. I want to keep going.” Freshman guard Dakari Nesbitt scored 17 points to lead third-seeded Thornton (13-15). DeAndre Higgs finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Manny Padilla scored eight points and Kobe Stevenson contributed five points and seven rebounds. Nesbitt scored 12 points in the first half as the Wildcats took a 24-23 halftime lead. Ratliff countered with 17 points as the game was shaping up to be a backcourt battle of the senior against the freshman. Hillcrest’s Jamir Ratliff (1) pulls up for a shot against Thornton during a Class 3A Hillcrest Sectional semifinal game in Country Club Hills on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown) Ratliff didn’t look at it that way, however. “I don’t take it personally,” he said. “It’s not me against him. I just try to play my hardest every game.” While the Hawks were able to slow Nesbitt down in the second half, Ratliff kept scoring. Perhaps his biggest shot came at the buzzer to end the third quarter, a 3-pointer that capped a 6-0 run and sent Hillcrest into the fourth with a 34-30 lead. Hillcrest’s Jamir Ratliff (1) brings the ball up the court against Thornton during a Class 3A Hillcrest Sectional semifinal game in Country Club Hills on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown) “I felt it,” Ratliff said. “It was a close game. The crowd was loud. When I hit that three, I was hyped.” So was Greene. And he would expect nothing else from Ratliff. “He did great,” Greene said. “He always shows up when it counts. That’s my true point guard.” Greene scored all eight of his points in the fourth, making six free throws to help the Hawks pull away. Hillcrest took control with a 9-0 run that stretched the lead to 46-34 with 3:52 to go. “At first, they were winning the battle,” Greene said. “They gave us their best punch. They hit hard, but we kept punching.” Hillcrest’s Jamir Ratliff (1) takes an outside shot against Thornton during a Class 3A Hillcrest Sectional semifinal game in Country Club Hills on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown) Ratliff, meanwhile, has adjusted to being the team’s go-to guy, growing more comfortable with each game. “Early in the season, I was overthinking a lot,” Ratliff said. “I was taking bad shots and making bad decisions. As the season went on, I matured more. I started taking better shots and playing harder overall. “I learned to always play in the moment. Try not to stay too big or get too low. Stay calm and the moment’s going to come.” Hillcrest coach Don Houston has enjoyed seeing his star grow up. Jamir Ratliff is no longer just the little brother of JayQuan and Jovi, who also had big careers for the Hawks. “It’s been great to see Jamir blossom and become himself,” Houston said. “He’s always been in the shadows. Now, he’s his own man right now. I’m glad to see it. I’m glad to be a part of it.” ...read more read less