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Pleasant Grove coach Randy McAllister first heard about his now 7-foot center Alan Hamson when a student asked if he knew of a fourth grader whose mom was 6-foot-9 and whose dad was 7-foot-1.

While those numbers turned out to be only a slight exaggeration — both parents are 6-foot-7 — a now 18-year-old Hamson is set to take the stage as one of the premier big men in Utah.

Determined to make his senior season a good one, Hamson spent the summer working on his game and eating everything in sight.

"I spent the summer just trying to get stronger and become more of an inside presence," said Hamson. "I worked on my mid-range game and just tried to gain weight."

Hamson's slight frame (175 pounds) in previous years made him an easy target for opponents to bump off the block, but his coach noticed a change in attitude as his center entered his senior year.

"There is this magical thing that happens when kids become seniors, and Alan has already shown a different maturity and toughness in practice," said McAllister. "He's more vocal, starting to use his elbows and he stands up for himself and pushes back if someone gets into him."

Hamson averaged just more than six points and six rebounds per game as a junior, but his shot-blocking and altering of shots forced opponents to game plan for the tallest player in the state.

"Having Alan back there allows us to do some different things on the perimeter," said McAllister. "You've got that safety net back there and if we make a mistake up front, Alan will be there to shut it down."

With the departure of leading scorer Cory McAllister, Hamson will be looking to take more of an active role in the offense. The 7-footer spent the summer working on jump hooks and low-post moves and even has the green light to step out to 19 feet.

"Definitely this year I'll be looking into the post and if I get double-teamed, I'll hit a shooter," said Hamson.

His coach goes one step further, suggesting his center needs to touch the ball on every possession as young Vikings players wet their feet before entering what is expected to be a brutal battle in Region 4. —

Pleasant Grove's Alan Hamson

Basketball runs deep in the Hamson family. His mom, Teresa Spalding, was one of the all-time greats at BYU, and sister Jennifer is a current member of the Cougar squad.

Diagnosed with scoliosis over the summer, Alan Hamson plans to have surgery over the summer to correct the problem. Doctors expect Hamson will come off the operating table three inches taller, at 7-foot-3.

Averaging six points and six rebounds as a junior, Alan Hamson will be more of a focal point for a Vikings offense that resides in basketball-heavy Region 4.