OLIVIA HAMBY-EUFAULA
For a sophomore, Eufaula’s Olivia Hamby already has a lot of basketball experience under her belt.
“When I was six my stepdad bought a basketball goal for me, and I started playing with it and just fell in love with the game. I like the competition in basketball and the exciting crowds and the atmosphere around the game,” said Hamby who started playing AAU ball at an early age which she says really helped last year in transitioning from middle school to high school and also adapting to a new coach.
“I was already playing with and against older girls in AAU so that made the move to high school easier and having a new coach was like getting a positive re-start for our program.”
It was in AAU ball that Olivia had one of her best basketball memories.
“Last year I was playing for Team Griffin on a 16-year-olds league and we went to Texas to play in the nationals and won and from there I started getting invites to major basketball camps which has really boosted my self-confidence going into this season,” said Hamby who is also in student council and National Honor Society.
“Olivia didn’t start but played a lot of minutes for us last year and is one of three sophomores that will start for us this year,” said second-year coach Jason Radomski. “At 6-0, she handles the ball and passes well for a big girl. She’ll be our second main ball handler against presses and pressure defenses and will probably be our second leading scorer this year. She can be quick off the dribble and attack the rim, but teams will also have to respect her outside shooting as well.”
And as a freshman last year, Olivia got her first taste of the McIntosh County rivalry with Checotah when she visited the Wildcats gym.
“I already knew a lot of the girls on that team, but they booed me when I went in and that really just got my adrenalin going and I scored nine points in that game,” she laughed.
She cites coach Radomski and teammate Lauren Gray as role models.
“Lauren is always so positive and uplifting if I’m down and coach ‘Dom has been a really big help.”
