At 6-6, Buddy brought the Hammer on the basketball court this past season for the Westville Yellowjackets. Averaging 25 points, nearly 11 rebounds and over four blocks a game, senior Buddy Hammer led Westville to a 15-11 record and just missed making it to the Class 3A state tournament. He reminisced about a time two years ago when the Yellowjackets did qualify for the Big Dance.

“I missed most of my sophomore season rehabbing from a broken leg so returning for the playoffs was a lift and a really special time. The day we left we had a police escort out of town and people were there with signs and the town really came together. When we got to Yukon for the game, they had a nice huge gym and the nerves and reality started kicking in and it stayed that way as we watched other games until we got on the court ourselves.”

In his younger days Hammer says that baseball was his sport of choice until he got to the seventh grade when he switched things around and he started playing AAU basketball. During those years he found a role model in the pros.

“I’ve always watched Kevin Durant since he was at Oklahoma City. I like the way he shoots so well from the outside and how well he moves for a big man,” said Hammer who is also in student council and the Native American Heritage Club.

As a senior leader Hammer knows it takes a combination of leading by example and being vocal to be successful.

“When I was younger, I always looked for a leader that was there for you like an older brother and not yelling at you and so that’s the kind of leader I’ve tried to be. I know there are times when you’ve got to be kind of vocal to keep folks in line, but I really strived to be more like the guy the younger players could talk to and encouraged them to follow my examples.”

Hammer has drawn the interest of several schools to play at the next level with offers from NEO and Seminole State and conversation with several other schools as his playing time at Westville has drawn to a close.

“I’d just like to be remembered as a humble guy who loved his little town, was a hard worker and was a good role model for little kids,” said Hammer.