One-On-One With Hamilton – Part Two

New Style & Energy in the OVC

(St. Louis, MO) – Eastern Kentucky is going to be a hard team to play against. Or so says first year coach A.W. Hamilton. The former Marshall University steals leader says his team is going to press, trap and make life miserable for the opposition.

Hamilton, who grew up in Georgetown, Kentucky played for Scott County High and says his high school coach, Billy Hicks, taught his players to press the entire game and to outwork the opposition.

 

 

So when I asked the former Hargrave Military Institute head coach what style the Colonels would play, I wasn’t surprised to hear him say that his teams would be aggressive on the defensive end.

 

 

One of the luxuries afforded Hamilton is the presence of one of the best players in the Ohio Valley Conference (if not the nation) in Nick Mayo. Heading into his senior year, the three-time all-OVC performer has scored 1,582 points and grabbed 563 rebounds. At 6’9 he can score inside and from deep.

Mayo has converted almost 44 percent of his three-point attempts, connecting 80 times. Mayo is deadly from the free-throw line (.803)  and Hamilton says he has legitmate NBA possibilities before him. Hamilton should know. He coached nine NBA players at Hargrave.

Hamilton says he’s been impressed by his new team’s work ethic, but in particular with the effort and attitude of Mayo.

 

 

As he is putting together his first coaching staff, he says diverse talents are important. There is still one vacancy on the staff. Holdover Reese Gaines and newly hired Steve Lepore, were both high level players, with whom he has a great deal of comfort. The third staff member will be a key hire for this first year coach.

 

 

While saying his teams will make it hard on the opposition, he acknowledges playing in the OVC will not be easy. He has great respect for the conference members and their head coaches.

Hamilton believes the OVC is a great league.

 

 

When asking him about the conference, he agrees that not only does the OVC have some rich history, but it also seems to be a league that is on the rise.

 

 

Hamilton and EKU (11-20 last season) has given second leading scorer Dedric Boyd (13.2 points per game) his release as he looks to transfer, but returns third leading scorer Deandre Dishman (11.7 ppg).

The Colonels will play in the Paradise Jam next season and Hamilton is working hard on the rest of next season’s schedule.

Like Penny Collins at Tennessee State, Hamilton is returning to his roots to get his first-ever Division 1 head coaching job. Those two are full of vision and confidence and will put their mark on these two programs.

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