Two Ivy League programs. One family.
On Feb. 21 at Helen Newman Arena, the Hinton parents sat in the stands and applauded every good play — whether it came from Cornell or Harvard. On the court, their sons were doing what they’ve done since they were four and six years old, shooting on a Fisher-Price basketball hoop in their living room: competing.
Senior guard Adam Hinton and his younger brother Robert, a sophomore guard at Harvard, grew up in Studio City, California. Both starred at Harvard-Westlake School, where they were teammates for two seasons. The brothers are of Taiwanese-American descent and have represented Chinese Taipei’s national program together.
Now, instead of passing to each other, they’re guarding one another in Ivy League play.
“It’s definitely a dream come true,” Adam told The Sun. “We’re always going to be huge supporters of each other and see how we can help each other.”
For Robert, the reality still feels surreal.
“It’s just an awesome feeling knowing that something we dreamed about growing up, playing against each other in college, is really happening,” Robert wrote to the Sun.
Robert Hinton Sr. and Tsang Chen-Cho, the brothers’ parents, watched that dream take shape long before either son stepped on an Ivy League floor.
“Both stayed the course. Both dreamt of playing Ivy League basketball,” their parents wrote in a statement to the Sun. “Both knew how incredibly difficult it would be to play well in high school/AAU, get great grades, test high, get noticed, get recruited, get offered and get admitted to such world-renowned universities and basketball programs.”
The family’s Ivy roots run deeper still. Their father, Robert Sr., played quarterback at Princeton before attending Harvard Law School. Watching his sons choose different Ivy League schools has brought a different kind of rivalry into the household.
“I love it,” Robert Sr. wrote to The Sun. “Each has chosen their own path and I truly believe that each has found the perfect fit for their different personalities, chosen areas of study, styles of play and future goals. The best part is that I get to enjoy all of the Ivy League rivalries and jokes. At the end of the day, the Ancient Eight is one beautiful family and we are so proud that they are a part of it.”
The respect between the brothers shows in how they describe each other’s games. Adam called Robert’s mid-range game “elite.” Robert said that at times Adam is “unguardable.”
Still, respect doesn’t stop competition.
The brothers have faced off twice this season, and the results have swung both ways.
In their first meeting Jan. 24 in Cambridge, Cornell (12-12, 5-6 Ivy) erased a 16-point deficit to beat Harvard (15-10, 8-3 Ivy) in an 86-79 affair. Adam scored a game-high 27 points, while Robert added a team-leading 19 for the Crimson.
Both brothers led their respective teams in scoring.
Nearly a month later in Ithaca, Harvard flipped the script. On Feb. 21, Robert got the upper hand on his brother, posting 16 points to Adam’s two, and the Crimson left with a 73–54 win.
“To be able to play each other at our respective Ivy League schools in Division I basketball, it’s just such a blessing, and I will never take the minutes I share on the court with my brother for granted,” Robert wrote to The Sun. “To be able to compete against my big brother and best friend, I just feel insanely lucky.”
The latest matchup in Ithaca marked the final scheduled meeting between the two squads this season. The brothers could face off one more time if both teams earn spots in Ivy Madness and meet again in the conference tournament.
For their parents, the wins and losses are secondary.
“Lots of wonderful, warm memories,” their parents wrote to The Sun. “Lots of cherished moments. Countless telling and retelling of stories to their future children, grandchildren and family. Oh, and lots of embellishments. They will be in their eighties and still trash talking to each other in rocking chairs.”
Austin Curtis is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a Sun Staff Writer and can be reached at acurtis@cornellsun.com.
