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Panthers guard grows into his game

By DAWN REISS
Published December 12, 2006

LECANTO - In his early years, Lecanto senior Bryan Hamer loved to do two things: karate and go-karting.

"I was hoping he'd start out go-karting and end up in NASCAR," his father, Philip Hamer, said.

The two spent Hamer's youth traveling around the state and into Georgia. He placed fifth in points in Florida Karting Association's restricted junior gold plate circuit in 2001.

Then Hamer found basketball.

Lecanto coach Chris Nichols remembers watching him as a seventh-grader at Lecanto Middle.

"He was an athletic kid and when we see good athletes, we always want to get them to improve their ability in basketball," Nichols said. "Brian is a kid who has worked on his skills."

This year, Hamer's effort has catapulted him into the starting lineup as Lecanto's 6-foot-2 shooting guard.

It hasn't come easily.

As a freshman, Hamer was waiting for practice, the week before the first game of the season, when a friend's football landed on the roof of Lecanto High. As Hamer climbed down from the roof, he gashed his right ring finger to the bone. After surgery and stitches, he spent the next four months in an arm cast.

Unable to use his dominant hand, Hamer practiced with his left and sat the bench for the season. It improved Hamer's ability to shoot from either hand.

As a sophomore he helped the junior varsity team go 18-1 before being moved up for the varsity district tournament. His supporting role helped the Panthers win their first boys basketball district title. After the graduation of Mychal Nichols now at Eckerd and Richard Chaney (Concordia University), the Panthers needed some offensive firepower. They turned to Hamer.

"It's a lot different than last year," said Hamer, an honors student who lives in Beverly Hills and works as a service clerk at Publix. "We have a lot more we have to get done. Last year we were just dominating on the court, this year we're trying a lot harder to get back there."

He doesn't shoot the 3 like Nichols, but he can turn it up and slash through traffic to draw the foul. The result: an average of 14 points (team best), three rebounds and two steals.

"When we need a big shot, we just look to him," senior forward Greg Simerly said.

Hamer, 18, is glad he turned his focus from go-karting to basketball. He also knows a lot more is expected of him as a starter.

"I'm expected to do well," Hamer said. "And I'm trying to deliver."

Dawn Reiss can be reached at dreiss@sptimes.com or (352) 860-7303.

[Last modified December 12, 2006, 06:17:23]