Hamilton steps up in starting role for App State

Tab Hamilton, a freshman making his third start for Appalachian State, took charge early and scored 22 points on the road against Southern Conference rival Chattanooga in January.

The performance impressed coach Jason Capel of the Mountaineers. But it didn’t surprise him.

“Tab is probably the hardest worker on the team,” Capel said. “You mix his talent with the fact that he’s the first guy in the gym and the last to leave every day, you really have something. He takes pride in working hard. He is a kid that’s fun to coach because he wants to be coached. He’s a sponge. He wants to learn and get better, and he’s not prone to make the same mistakes twice.”

Hamilton (FMS ’11) averaged 8.0 points per game, second on the team, in his freshman season at Appalachian State.