Lone Peak's Hamilton Headed to Iowa State
Justin Hamilton's father "forced" him to try out for the sophomore basketball team at Lone Peak High, even though the youngster had never played any organized form of the sport before then.
Two years later, Hamilton has earned a basketball scholarship to a Big 12 school.
Hamilton committed to play for Iowa State on Monday afternoon, less than a day after returning from his official campus visit to Ames.
"A lot of it was from the overall level of support I received when I was there," the 6-foot-11 senior told The Salt Lake Tribune on Monday. "Everyone there was just great, and I felt like I really clicked with the players on the team."
Last week, Hamilton had narrowed his choices to Pepperdine, Weber State and Iowa State, provided the Cyclones offered him a scholarship during his weekend visit. They did, and less than 24 hours later, he called coach Greg McDermott with the news.
Hamilton said he was interested in Utah, and them in him, but the Utes backed off when they got a pledge from another big man from Michigan. His father played football for BYU and his mother played volleyball for the Cougars, but Hamilton said he was never interersted in BYU because he is not LDS.
The term "late-bloomer" only begins to describe the rising star. Hamilton never got into games his sophomore year, and played only on the junior varsity squad last year, getting fewer than two minutes of varsity time.
But over the spring and summer he improved immensely, so much so that college scouts who saw him play in all-star type tournaments in North Carolina and Las Vegas quickly got to know the way to his home and school in Alpine, in north Utah County. UC Davis and St. Mary's also had offered scholarships.
"I just worked really hard, and I've started to catch up to my [rapid growth] as far as coordination and stuff," he said. "And I think I've been really well-coached."
Two of Hamilton's fellow seniors at Lone Peak have also gone through the recruiting process.
Bracken Funk recently committed to Fresno State, while Josh Sharp has drawn interest from Utah and Weber State.
Sharp got a home visit from Utah coach Jim Boylen on Monday night, but the Utes are out of scholarships after receiving a commitment from Jordan Cyphers of Wichita, Kan., on Sunday. It is uncertain what the Utes have to offer Sharp, but they could ask him to "grey shirt" (enroll and pay his own way the first year) before he goes on an LDS Church mission.
He doesn't turn 18 until next June.
Two years later, Hamilton has earned a basketball scholarship to a Big 12 school.
Hamilton committed to play for Iowa State on Monday afternoon, less than a day after returning from his official campus visit to Ames.
"A lot of it was from the overall level of support I received when I was there," the 6-foot-11 senior told The Salt Lake Tribune on Monday. "Everyone there was just great, and I felt like I really clicked with the players on the team."
Last week, Hamilton had narrowed his choices to Pepperdine, Weber State and Iowa State, provided the Cyclones offered him a scholarship during his weekend visit. They did, and less than 24 hours later, he called coach Greg McDermott with the news.
Hamilton said he was interested in Utah, and them in him, but the Utes backed off when they got a pledge from another big man from Michigan. His father played football for BYU and his mother played volleyball for the Cougars, but Hamilton said he was never interersted in BYU because he is not LDS.
The term "late-bloomer" only begins to describe the rising star. Hamilton never got into games his sophomore year, and played only on the junior varsity squad last year, getting fewer than two minutes of varsity time.
But over the spring and summer he improved immensely, so much so that college scouts who saw him play in all-star type tournaments in North Carolina and Las Vegas quickly got to know the way to his home and school in Alpine, in north Utah County. UC Davis and St. Mary's also had offered scholarships.
"I just worked really hard, and I've started to catch up to my [rapid growth] as far as coordination and stuff," he said. "And I think I've been really well-coached."
Two of Hamilton's fellow seniors at Lone Peak have also gone through the recruiting process.
Bracken Funk recently committed to Fresno State, while Josh Sharp has drawn interest from Utah and Weber State.
Sharp got a home visit from Utah coach Jim Boylen on Monday night, but the Utes are out of scholarships after receiving a commitment from Jordan Cyphers of Wichita, Kan., on Sunday. It is uncertain what the Utes have to offer Sharp, but they could ask him to "grey shirt" (enroll and pay his own way the first year) before he goes on an LDS Church mission.
He doesn't turn 18 until next June.
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