NOTE: For full slideshow from this game, click here.
SPRINGFIELD — Daniel Hamilton chose a great time to play a monster game.
In the absence of Arizona-commit Tyler Dorsey, the UConn-bound Hamilton stepped up to score 25 points to lead St. John Bosco High School of Bellflower, CA to a 63-60 victory over St. Frances Academy of Baltimore, MD.
The 6-foot-6 senior guard shot 10 for 21 from the field and made St. John Bosco's final three field goals. Hitting key shots down the stretch, Hamilton entered the game looking for the big performance he delivered.
After the game, Hamilton hurried off to Storrs, CT to watch his future UConn teammates take on No. 18 Louisville at Gampel Pavilion. While Hamilton is eager to join a talented crew of UConn guards in Ryan Boatright, Omar Calhoun, and Rodney Purvis, he is most excited to play for 2nd year head coach Kevin Ollie.
"Coach Ollie is a real good dude," said Hamilton, whose brother Jordan plays for the Denver Nuggets, and another, Isaac, who plays at USC. "He really lets you play your game."
Also filling the void for the missing Tyler Dorsey was sophomore Vance Jackson. Jackson hit five 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 26 points. Jackson, who finished with 8 rebounds, teamed up with Hamilton to score 51 of St. John Bosco's 63 points.
Trailing by 7 points, St. Frances' used an 8-0 run to take a 48-47 early in the 4th quarter. But Jackson abruptly answered with a jumper, and St. John Bosco held the lead for good.
St. Frances came out firing to take a quick 9-0 lead. But St. John Bosco answered in a hurry with its own 12-2 run to take a 12-11 lead. From there, neither team led by more than three points until early in the 3rd quarter when Jackson created a bit of breathing room for St. John Bosco with some hot shooting.
Dwayne Morgan, a 6-foot-8 senior forward committed to UNLV scored 13 points and pulled down 6 boards for St. Frances. Morgan scored 6 of his 13 points in the 4th quarter, and began the frame with an emphatic breakaway dunk.
St. Frances guard Michael Micklos cut a late deficit to one point with his fifth 3-pointer to make the score 61-60 with 30 seconds remaining. Down 62-60, St. Frances had a chance to tie or win the game, but turned the ball over with 8.9 seconds left.
Micklos led St. Frances in scoring with 15 points, all of which came from behind the 3-point arc.