Nail put in coffin of Hammer’s Aggie career
The men’s basketball team had four returning players for this year’s team heading into the opening week of the 2007-08 season. That number is now down to three after senior guard Nick Hammer decided he will not compete for the Aggies this season or play for the Aggies again in the future.
Head Coach Stew Morrill announced Wednesday that Hammer has decided he is physically unable to play collegiate basketball anymore.
“College basketball can take a toll on a player’s body, and that is certainly the situation with Nick,” Morrill said. “We understand his decision and will miss the character and personality he brought to our team on a daily basis. We wish him all the best.”
Hammer, in two years at Utah State, played in 56 games and averaged 2.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
He played one year of college ball at Dixie State before going on a LDS mission and then transferring to Utah State.
With his departure, freshman Tyler Newbold from Payson, Utah, will replace Hammer in the lineup. The freshman had been told previously he would redshirt.
“With Nick making a decision not to play this year-and he truly has had a lot of physical ailments and problems that have been frustrating for him and me and everybody else-we had to bring Tyler Newbold off a redshirt year,” Morrill said.
Morrill is still undecided on whether or not freshman Modou Niang will redshirt, but said freshmen Brad Browm and Jaxon Myaer will redshirt.
Morrill also said the 6-foot-9 Niang should see playing time.
“We got so many young guys,” Morrill said. “When you start talking about freshman like Modou, Pooh Williams, Tyler Newbold, guys who have never player much at the Division-I level, we got to get them some time. Even though you’re trying to win, you got to get them some time and get them better.”
-sam.bryner@aggiemail.usu.edu