Play hard and play smart

Kevin McCarthy
 

Play hard play smart is not just a coaching exhortation or instructions from fans in the stands, it’s the name of a longtime and successful club basketball team out of the Sacramento area headed by former Brigham Young basketballer Brian Hamilton.

The 6-foot Hamilton was a backcourter at BYU after playing for Columbia College in Sonora. He earned a sociology degree in 2000 while in Salt Lake City. "But I’m a Sacramento guy and wanted to give back to the kids here," Hamilton explained. He returned to the River City and began teaching and coaching at both Grant High and Natomas High.

But that wasn’t enough for him -- he wanted to do more.

So in 2002, he formed the Play Hard Play Smart team to provide Sacramento area kids the opportunity for spring and summer basketball.

The list of players who have worn the PHPS jersey is long, most, recently including J osiah Turner, Cody Kyle, Will Davis, Bobby Evans, Mike Rosaroso, Yev Dynachencko and Chukwuemeka Iroegbu among others.

Here is the top 2010 Play Hard Play Smart squad with descriptions supplied by Hamilton:

• Chris Carvin, 5-foot-10, Laguna Creek HS 2011: Chris is an excellent pass-first point guard who is a hardworker, a great competitor and the glue to our team
• Jeff Davis, 5-foot-9, Burbank HS 2011: he is a scoring guard who just joined us
• Robert Garrett, 6-foot-11, Sacramento HS 2011: Robert is getting better every practice and he works his butt off -- playing at Pangos, he dominated the defensive boards, scoring 14 points and blocking shots, Connecticut has offered him with UCLA, Kansas and Cal interested
• Dominique Hawkins, 6-foot-10, Edison (Stockton) HS 2011: he is a lefty who is getting better with his rebounding and shotblocking and is a college redshirt candidate
• Dezhon Mack, 6-foot-0, Johnson HS 2010: he is a hustle guy who is a great defender
• Fred Mobley, 6-foot-4, Oakmont HS 2010: a point who can also shoot and score
• Shawn Smith, 6-foot-6, McClatchy HS 2011: Shawn is a big-time athlete who run and jump with the best, he is a wide receiver in football who has played one year of basketball and is coming on
• Matthew Scott, 6-foot-3, River City HS 2011: a crafty scorer and shooter who can make the three and score around the basket
• Charles Standifer, 6-foot-4, (prep) 2010: he’s committed to USF but playing this season because the Dons wanted him to get back playing after a season off -- he is still just 18

Here’s the Play Hard Play Smart spring and summer schedule:

• Full Court Press All West Camp
• Pangos Cream of the Crop
• adidas 64 or Fab 48