Getting the point: Central Catholic sophomore Hamilton growing into leadership role

His talent is undeniable, but so too was his ego.

Ask Joshua Hamilton about the toughest opponent he’s ever faced – about the one player who could lock him down like a vise – and Central Catholic’s slick 6-foot-2 point guard will bury his finger in his chest.

It’s him.

The rudder in the Raiders’ run-at-all-costs offense is only a sophomore playing in the fires of his first varsity postseason.

Like all new things, this season has been marked by setback and struggle, sit-downs with coach Mike Wilson and sudden jumps in play and personal development.

“Growing up, I was the most selfish player on the court,” Hamilton said. “I’d have my head down and do it all myself. Now, I’m looking up and I know who I have around me.”

As he’s grown, so too have the Raiders, growing into a Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV power on the cusp of its first section championship in 28 years.

Top-seeded Central Catholic (24-5) will play No. 3 West Campus of Sacramento (26-4) in Saturday’s final at Sleep Train Arena, the home of the Sacramento Kings. Tipoff is 3 p.m.

West Campus advanced with an upset victory over No. 2 Liberty Ranch of Galt, which boasted a season-long, section-best 29-game winning streak.

The Raiders avoided their own scare in the semifinal round.

Central Catholic made just two of its first 17 shots and trailed No. 5 Summerville after one quarter, 12-8.

“We were sluggish in warmups,” Hamilton said.

Then, as they have done so often throughout this postseason, the Raiders found their cruising speed.

Central Catholic shot a blistering 10 of 13 from the floor in the second quarter, flipping the scoreboard inside the first three minutes. Cooper Wilson (two), Amrit Dhaliwal and Hamilton had three-pointers for the Raiders, who started the period on a 15-2 tear.

The difference, though, was Central Catholic’s ability to put Summerville on skates. Hamilton and fellow guards Jared Rice and Dhaliwal pushed the ball up the floor off defensive rebounds, forcing the Bears onto their heels.

Hamilton scored back-to-back layups and Dhaliwal kissed a shot off the glass as the lead ballooned to 10. Later, Hamilton showcased the split-second decision-making that makes him so dangerous in the open floor.

He began the fourth quarter with two picture-perfect assists: a drive and kick to Dhaliwal, who was camped out in the corner for a three-pointer; and a bounce pass between moving defenders to Rice, who collected the ball in stride and finished at the rim.

“Part of our discussion with him this week was about being a point guard and creating for his teammates,” coach Wilson said, “making that read, and when (the defender) gets close, make your teammate better. He did a good job of that tonight.”

In a boisterous locker room after the game, Hamilton praised the heroes in Central Catholic’s third section final appearance in the last five years. He looked not to himself or Dhaliwal (13 points) or Rice (14 points), who was the fastest player on the floor. Instead, Hamilton praised the big men, displaying his maturity as a team leader and student of the game.

Senior Peter Hamilton finished with a team-high 11 rebounds and 6-foot-6 sophomore James Bland had four rebounds off the bench.

“When they get those rebounds and outlet to us, we’re able to use our speed to our advantage,” said Joshua Hamilton, who finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists. “Peter was down there getting clawed and scratched. Malcolm (Clayton) and James were fighting for the ball. We’re lucky to have guys like that on the team.”

Wilson realizes his point guard won’t always get the point.

Joshua Hamilton will continue to endure growing pains, but the longtime coach is most proud of the underclassman’s introspection and ability to take instruction.

Hamilton says he’s worked on his temper – “I expect a lot out of myself and my teammates” – and cutting down his turnovers. On Wednesday, he had five assists to just one turnover.

He’s also spent countless hours in the gym with some of his teammates, learning their tendencies and favorite spots on the floor. For instance, he knows that Dhaliwal and Peter Hamilton love the corner three-pointer, and that Cooper Wilson and Rice prefer the ball on the wings.

“Knowing who’s on the team and what they can do, and how I can get them the ball ... I had to learn how to play with them,” Hamilton said. “Throughout this year, I’ve made my mistakes and listened to coach.

“I’m the point guard of this team,” he added, “but without the team we can’t do what we do.”

This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 11:41 AM with the headline "Getting the point: Central Catholic sophomore Hamilton growing into leadership role."