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Monday, January 15, 2001
Tigers in good hands with Hamilton
By Beth Mowins
Special to ESPN.com
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Auburn senior guard Tasha Hamilton is not satisfied.
That's bad news for opponents in the Southeastern Conference as the league's regular season gets rolling this week. Hamilton has plenty of personal accolades, but this winter she's determined to elevate her team to a spot among the nation's elite.
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SEASON OF SENIORS
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The Class of 2001 -- which includes Tamika Catchings, Svetlana Abrosimova, the Miller twins and dozens of other standouts -- is touted as one of the country's best in history.
But before we say goodbye to this talented group, ESPN.com will take a closer look at several of these super seniors. The Season of Seniors began over the summer and will resurface throughout the season.
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It won't be easy with Auburn picked to finish seventh in the SEC preseason poll. (Just imagine, it's possible to be ranked among the top 15 in America and still not finish in the top half of your conference standings!) But Hamilton loves a challenge. She and the Tigers are already setting out to prove the naysayers wrong.
Auburn jumped to a 12-0 start this year before suffering setbacks to Clemson and Illinois in late December. It was the best start for a Tiger team in more than a decade, and Hamilton was a big reason for the success. Her scoring may be down, but more importantly, her rebounding and defense have improved this year.
"I'm not satisfied with being one-dimensional," said the 5-foot-10 Hamilton, who has scored more than 1,000 points in her career and is averaging 15.3 points and 5.5 rebounds through 15 games this season. "I've worked hard in the offseason to become a more complete player, not just a scorer."
Hamilton was an All-SEC performer two years ago averaging 14 points a game. While she thrived at the offensive end, her defense was lacking and she knew she had to get better if she was going to keep playing at Auburn.
"Tasha has always been a scorer," Auburn coach Joe Ciampi said. "She likes to take the ball to the basket and create opportunities. This year she understands the team concept better and creates opportunities for herself and her teammates. But we need her to rebound for us to be successful. And to win in the SEC, you have to be able to stop people. Tasha has worked hard on her defense."
Hamilton and the Tigers have limited opponents to fewer than 55 points per game this season.
"Defense is a top priority at Auburn," admits Hamilton. "It's the main focus, so you have to be ready to go, to work hard and to play together. In high school, nobody really plays defense, but I've worked hard here to add that to my game."
Hamilton has also become the leader of an Auburn team that has put some new faces on the floor this year. Hamilton, the lone returning starter from last season's NCAA Tournament team, is surrounded by four new starters. Her leadership skills have helped make the transition seamless.
"Tasha does a little of everything for us," said point guard LaRita Spencer, the backup point last year. "She creates mismatches for us and we make sure she gets the ball if she's hot. She does it all. She scores, rebounds, defends, she's awesome."
Hamilton welcomes the added responsibility.
"I have to get everybody together and motivated," said Hamilton, who is playing through the pain of spraining both her thumbs last month. "I have to be ready to step up. I want to do the little things, too. But I need to be ready to get the job done in key moments. Coach Ciampi has helped me improve everyday and I want to do what I can to help this team improve every day."
ESPN's Beth Mowins is a regular contributor to ESPN.com's women's college basketball coverage.
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