Hartman signs on with Catamount Basketball
By Michael Minnich Mineral Daily News-Tribune Sports Editor mminnich@newstribune.info
KEYSER, WV-Keyser will get more Peyton Hartman, after all. (Hartman seen here with parents Artie and Denise, along with Potomac State Head Basketball Shawn White, (standing)).
The 2011 News-Tribune Player of the Year, a focal point of Keyser High School’s run to the state semifinals last season in basketball and an individual and team state champion in track, signed a letter-of-intent to continue his basketball career at Potomac State College on Monday.
“It was very exciting whenever Peyton called and said that he had decided to stay local and play here at Potomac State,” said PSC head coach Shawn White. “I know he has big dreams of playing bigger basketball, but he’s made a decision that he wants to get a good education, stay close to home and his family, and still play college basketball. I think we can fulfill that dream here for him.”
Hartman was a second team All-State selection and also made the All-Tournament team last season, posting per-game averages of 13.2 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks, all team-bests, despite a nagging back injury suffered in the middle of the season.
He led KHS in offensive rebounds (86), was second in made threes (16), and third in steals (43).
As a junior, Hartman started all 24 games for KHS, averaging 11 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game.
And just like high school, Hartman will play for a coach that likes to go fast.
“We’ve always liked to run,” said White. “He will fit into our style here. We like to switch our defenses from man to zone, and I really think that he’s a nice presence on the inside in a zone defense, and he can step out and play the 3 or the 4 in a man defense. We run a lot of high pick-and-roll, a lot of the screen game, and he’ll be able to step out and three, or drive to the basket, and have that opportunity.”
In addition to his basketball prowess, Hartman was a tremendous track athlete.
He won the state title in the high jump in 2010 and 2011, breaking the school record with a leap of six feet, seven inches this spring, and his fifth-place finish in 2009 as a sophomore was key to Keyser’s first-ever state track title.
He also was part of the shuttle hurdle team that finished second this spring.
“He could have probably played at any Division II school in the state of West Virginia, any junior college on the East Coast. We’re happy and privileged that he came here,” said White. “It’s a great opportunity for him to play in front of big scouts and hopefully he can move on from here in two years.”