DANVILLE, Ky. - Landen Hamilton was a three-year starter, 1,000-point scorer and three-time district champion at Conner High School who started playing on the varsity team when he was in the eighth grade.

He started 12 games for Centre College as a freshman during the 2023-24 season, averaged 9.8 points per game, scored a season-high 32 points against Birmingham-Southern and led the team in steals with 40.

"It was definitely harder than I expected. The speed of the game was the biggest thing and I noticed little things you could get away with in high school you couldn't do at this level," said Hamilton. "I was able to adapt but definitely everyone at this level is stronger, bigger, older. It was an adjustment."

Last season he started 24 games and averaged 16 points and 4.5 assists per game and again led the team in steals with 61. He had a career-high 35 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals in an 85-70 Southern Athletic Association Tournament semifinal win over Sewanee.

He started playing basketball at age 5 and gave up baseball and cross country in junior high to concentrate on basketball. He was also motivated by his younger sister Anna. She was a year behind him but also played point guard at Conner and is now playing at Northern Kentucky University.

"We definitely competed against each other in about everything," Hamilton said. "She kind of followed my lead as a point guard. As she got older, we kind of bounced ideas off each other. I think I would teach her a few things and some would teach me some."

Hamilton made his presence felt at her games as a huge cheerleader watching from the stands.

"It was good to see her succeed and now she's at NKU playing Division I and I couldn't be any happier," the Centre junior, who watches most of his sister's games online, said.

Hamilton and his teammates are adjusting to playing for coach Gavin Root. He was named interim coach the second half of last season when head coach Greg Mason had some health issues. Mason, the school's all-time winningest coach, resigned in early September and Root was named interim head coach for this season.

"I think the transition in the beginning was a little difficult to get used to, and then it became a lot easier after we got through those early practices," Hamilton said. "Everyone kind of knew what to expect after playing for him last season.

"I think we'll play faster and more aggressive this year. I think we're deeper this year, so being able to play more guys gives us more sustainability throughout the season and when March comes guys are not going to be fatigued."

Centre won five of its last eight games last season to reach the conference tournament title game and finish the season 17-10.

"I think the way we finished the season will carry over. We are pretty deep. We have all the tools that we had last year and have added even more tools that we didn't have last year," Hamilton, a double major in business and economics, said. "I think we can do even bigger things this year."

Centre plays an exhibition game at Bellarmine in Louisville tonight before opening regular season play at Asbury on Nov. 7.