MOVING FORWARD
Will play next at Wofford
Nathan Hoover rounds out prep career with a stellar season, plans to play at Wofford.
Seems l i ke Nat ha n Hoover has been around forever, lurking on the three-point line — dagger in hand. As a freshman at Bartlett, then as a role player who has helped Arlington reach its first state tournament and stay a relevant power in District 14-AAA.
Now, the Tigers’ fate largely rests on the 6-4 Hoover’s formerly-scrawny shoulders, and he loves every minute of it.
“I’ve always felt like I’ve been overlooked … and that there’s nothing on the floor that I can’t do,” said Hoover, who has clearly shown he can do it all and then some this season.
Hoover is averaging better than 22 points a game as the senior pillar on a sophomore-laden Tiger squad. An amazing December run has brought on a tsunami of double-teams and trick defenses as the Tigers (207, 4-2) struggled out of the gate in January with losses to East, and district foes Cordova and Bolton.
“He’s seen Box-and-1, traps, trick defenses — and the emergency room since Christmas, but he keeps bouncing back,” Tigers’ coach Don deaton said of Hoover, who took an inadvertent elbow to the mouth in the loss to East, went to the hospital for stitches and sat out the Cordova contest.
“The thing about Nathan is that he scores more than anyone else, but also plays harder than anyone else,” Deaton said. “Now that he’s getting the attention, he’s learning to get the ball to his open teammates. That’s the next level.”
Though the Tigers lost a recent 67-60 decision to Bolton, and UNLV-bound Jaylen Fisher, Hoover did n’t disappoi nt . He busted loose for 25 points in the game against Fisher, his Team Thad teammate who had 22. Hoover then came back and scored 19 as the Tigers snapped a three-game skid with a 66- 62 win over Bartlett on Jan. 29.
“The last couple of weeks I’ve been frustrated and upset, and we’ve had to kind of figure out what to do,” Hoover said. “But even in games where I’ve struggled my teammates have told me to keep my confidence and don’t quit playing or shooting like you know you can.”
After an ankle injury hampered him much of the AAU season with Team Thad, he opted to head to another under-the-radar situation next fall, signing with Southern Conference power Wofford in Spartanburg, S.C., a team that has been to four of the last six NCAA tournaments.
“Mike Young (the Terriers’ coach) said he knew I was playing hurt but could see the potential in me, and gave me a full offer. Other schools seemed to be waiting to see about someone else,” Hoover said. “I committed and signed with Wofford and it feels like a great fit for me.”
Then he exploded for a series of five 40-point games during December. “I knew it couldn’t continue, but Lord knows I was wishing it could.”
Deaton said that some high-level D-1 programs started asking questions, but found out it was too l ate . “It ’s t hei r loss ,” Hoover said.
Always a danger from the arc during his prep career, Hoover said “I’ve been working on becoming a better ballhandler and passer to get my teammates more involved.
Deaton said his star is becoming a complete package. “Smart player. Great defender and a lot better rebounder,” t he Tigers’ coach said. “He’s learning how to beat the double teams by driving the ball, accepting contact at the rim and finishing the play, or hitting his free throws (85 percent from the line).”
Hoover has also put 10 pounds of muscle on his 177-pound frame, “I really started working with a trainer last season and it’s helped me a lot. I’ll go back to that after the season for sure.”