FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2013
Courtesy of New Haven Register, Written by Mary Albl
NEW HAVEN — On Jan. 9 against
No. 14 Franklin Pierce, Southern Connecticut State’s
Trevon Hamlet created a new favorite
memory.
With about two minutes left and the score tied, Franklin
Pierce had a chance to take the lead with a wide-open
layup.
“I came from behind and blocked it, and the guy
didn’t even see me,” Hamlet said. “And that was
like a game-changing play.”
The Owls (9-5, 6-4) went on to win the game 68-65 with Hamlet
adding another highlight to an already sensational senior season at
Southern.
The 6-foot-6 forward currently ranks first in the
Northeast-10 Conference in blocked shots with 37 (2.64 per game)
and is sixth in the nation in Division II.
SCSU head coach Mike Donnelly said
Hamlet’s ability to swat the ball away with both his right
and left hand is a momentum changer for the Owls.
“His blocks have been huge for us,” Donnelly
said. “Every shot he blocks, usually we get, which is huge
for us. He’s been tremendous.”
Hamlet said he’s never really practiced or studied the
art of shot-blocking; it was just something that came with his
height.
“I was always like 6-5, 6-6 for a long time, I
haven’t really grown since high school,” he said.
“I have long arms, so I just time it every
time.”
Added Franklin Pierce head coach David
Chadbourne: “I think there are all kinds of
different things that make him a great player. And obviously having
someone back there that is protecting the rim and has such great
timing and athleticism around the basket defensively is huge for
them. It would be huge for anybody.”
But Hamlet’s blocking ability is just a snapshot of his
talent. Hamlet said he dedicated himself this offseason to working
harder and preparing more for his final collegiate
season.
“I took basketball a lot more seriously this
summer,” he said.
Instead of playing in tournaments, he amped up his workouts
and focused on different aspects of his game, strengthening his
weaknesses.
This season Hamlet is stronger and more versatile. He’s
second in the conference in scoring at 18.9 ppg and is shooting
50.8 percent from the field. He’s averaging 6.1 rebounds, 2.3
assists and has made 25 3-pointers at a 39.7 percent
clip.
“I thought Trevon has expanded his game every year and
is playing at a high Division I level now,” University of
Bridgeport head coach Mike Ruane said.
“He can hurt you just as much from the 3 as from
slashing.”
The drive to be the best hails from the coaches Hamlet has
worked with. At Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn,
N.Y., Hamlet’s coach was Khalid
Green, who is now a scout for the Brooklyn
Nets.
“He was just always hard on me to get better,”
Hamlet said of Green. “And he knows talent, and he knows what
you can improve in and what areas that you’re good in. So he
just told me what areas I was good at.”
Hamlet’s career at Southern began three years ago when
Donnelly first took over the program. The pair came from Post
University and was eager to help turn the program
around.
The Owls have qualified for the NE-10 tournament the last two
seasons and finished with a winning record last year (14-13), the
first time since the 2001-02 season. Hamlet was an All-NE-10
selection each of the past two years.
“He gives me a lot of confidence in my game,”
Hamlet said of Donnelly. “The previous years with coach
Donnelly I’ve had success, I’ve put the work in, and
each year I wanted to get better at a part of my game that needed
improving. So I envisioned this at the end of the
day.”
Added Donnelly: “It’s been a natural progression
for Trevon, in all facets of the game, both on and off the court.
Physically he’s grown up; he’s really developed in all
phases.”
The senior co-captain said he would love nothing more than to
guide the Owls to a conference championship and a deep run in the
postseason. He said he’s willing to help the team in any way
possible.
“He’s an impact guy on both ends of the
floor,” Chadbourne said. “He’s one of the best,
if not the best player in our league.”
