Hampton playing more for Mocs

The walk-on guard from Arts & Sciences has played in critical moments in recent UTC games.

Dontay Hampton has shed his nickname.

"You can't call him 'Li'l Tay' anymore," University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball coach John Shulman said as the shortest player on the roster walked past him on the way to warmups Tuesday.

UTC players have yet to come up with another nickname for the sophomore walk-on guard from Arts & Sciences. Just "Dontay" will have to work for now.

But the Mocs surely will come up with something creative as Hampton's minutes and contributions increase down the stretch of the Southern Conference season.

"I've said from second one that he deserves more playing time," Shulman said. "But I didn't think I'd be playing Keegan [Bell, the starting point guard] 37 minutes a game.

"Dontay needs to be on the floor because he's a competitive guy and a winner. Trying to find him time wasn't easy early on."

It's become easier to give Hampton playing time with the midseason departure of guard Josh Odem, who Shulman said is somewhere in Johnson City. Hampton has played at least 10 minutes in each of the Mocs' last four games, the last two in some critical moments.

"I'm playing the 1 and the 2 [positions] and giving Ricky Taylor a breather lately, and it's been pretty fun," said Hampton, who turned down several junior college scholarship offers to stay close to his family. "When I first came in [three years ago], I learned all the plays for the 2-guard, then as a point guard, so I learned how to play them all."

Hampton made a key play in UTC's 111-110 double-overtime win over UNC Greensboro. In the second extra period, with the Mocs down seven, he grabbed the rebound of a missed 3-pointer by Bell and put it back while getting fouled, then hit the free throw.

If the Spartans would have grabbed that rebound, UTC would have lost.

"When he gets out there, he does good things," Bell said. "When he comes in, he makes great plays. He's really been a help off the bench and getting more minutes, and that helps our offense flow. He's doing the right things."

Bell has averaged 37.9 minutes in SoCon contests and 41.7 minutes in UTC's last three games.

"I don't get tired. I don't get fatigued in games or practice," Bell said. "I'd love to play 40 minutes a game, and I enjoy doing it."

The two-point-guard system -- with Bell running the show and Hampton playing shooting guard for a resting Taylor -- made its debut at Wofford and continued at Furman with some effectiveness. Hampton played 10 minutes against the Paladains, was the most aggressive player for UTC and attempted 10 free throws.

"He can take some of Keegan's minutes and some of Ricky Taylor's minutes," Shulman said. "He's deserved it.

Hampton helped UTC win at Kennesaw State with a defensive stop in the last minute and at Marshall with a clutch 3-pointer from the left wing in the waning moments.

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He hasn't been on the scouting report of recent opponents. Again, he's a walk-on who averages 7.4 minutes and 2.8 points per game.

Georgia Southern coach Charlton Young may put him on there so his players know whom they're dealing with. Plus, having two point guards on the floor should help the Mocs against the Eagles' pressure defense Thursday night in McKenzie Arena.

"Having us out there together is good because there's two point guards out there at the same time and 'Tay is an unselfish player," Bell said. "He can get people involved. He helps.

"He can help me get open shots, and he can help get everybody else involved."


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