Princeton Likely to Benefit from Hummer Legacy

Ron Bailey, Publisher

August 4, 2008 – Sometimes, the best advertisement for schools is done unwittingly, as future students due to fate, become immersed in an institution’s culture early, with those seeds bearing fruit later. Witness Gonzaga (DC) rising senior, Ian Hummer, who was practically born with a certain Ivy League’s Orange and Black coloring imprinted in his DNA.

“I’ve been going to reunions all the time, I’ve seen the campus for like 10 years” said Hummer, a 6’6” 220 pound forward during this summer’s National Basketball Players Association’s Top 100 Camp of his familarity with Princeton University.

Ian Hummer, here slamming in Hoop Group Top 100 action (07), possesses has athletic ability in addition to a rugged approach to the game.

Why would a kid from Northern, VA be a virtual fixture at Princeton, the well known instiution in a central New Jersey town of the same name? His family is deeply entrenched in the school, with father Ed having played on the 1965 Final Four team, and uncle John having also competing there, before going on to run the fledgling Buffalo Braves.

Despite the familial connections, he’s received no pressure to attend Princeton, instead gravitating to towards that school on his own accord. “Mostly in the Ivy League” shared Hummer on the schools most interesting him. “I like Princeton a lot. I got calls from Stanford, Michigan, UVA, but Princeton, its pretty far up there”.

If you get his impression his decision, though not being reached immediately, is driven by other things than names and hype, you are right. “No, I like a small school in a small town and a really good education. I’m not into those big time programs. I’d prefer to be a four year starter,” he replied when asked if he’s enamored with ‘high major’ institutions.

Nevertheless Hummer, a player that mixes skill with frontcourt physicality displayed big-school ability at the NBAPA Top 100, despite as he put it starting out “pretty poorly”. Nevertheless, Ian rebounded (pun intended), finding his individual fortunes picked up when his teammates “started to play team ball, instead of trying to do self, trying to dribble one on one. Once we started to play team ball, that’s more my game”.

That skill set will increasingly include improved perimeter prowess; a greater proficiency away fromthe cup will benefit the rugged, versatile Ian wherever he plays in college, and possibly some level beyond. “Dribbling, ball handling and my overall quickness” honestly responded the cerebral Hummer of needed points of improvement in his game. “I want to expand my game to more of a three (small forward)”.

In doing so, he would be pitted against the most athletic and many times skilled players on the court, starting this year in Washington Catholic Athletic Association play, as that’s the ‘zish manned by Rodney McGruder of Archbishop Carroll, one of Gonzaga’s league rivals.

“I am, its going to be a good battle between Carroll, Dematha, us” laughed Hummer as McGruder passed during the interview, and upon being asked if he favorably anticipated the wars ahead in WCAC play. “Yeah, Rodney McGruder is a good player, so it should be fun”.

Sure ‘nuff. Will Gonzaga repeat as WCAC champs? Will Ian Hummer remain primarily focused on Princeton, and resultantly choose that school?

The first question is hard to answer, and while not resolute yet, he probably will be a Princeton Tiger.

For four years, Hummer will likely have fun in the Ivy League.