LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA (February 5, 2009) - Growing up in the small community of Spanish Town, in the West Indies, basketball was the last thing on Damian Hyman (Bronx, NY/Harry S. Truman)'s mind. (LINCOLN-LIVINGSTONE GAME NOTES)
Hyman, like many other children in the Caribbean, grew up watching and playing cricket, a sport with a bat and ball that originated in southern England. At the tender age of 11, Hyman's mother, Beatrice Cameron, decided to move to the United States to give her sons a better life.
When Hyman first got to America, baseball was the sport that caught his eyes because it reminded him of back home. However, growing up in the Bronx (N.Y.), Hyman soon realized that baseball wasn't too popular in his community so he decided to follow the crowd and take up basketball.
“I really wanted to play baseball because it reminded me of the game of cricket,” said Hyman. “In my neighborhood all the kids played basketball so I didn't have anyone to play with. One day I just decided to pick up a basketball.”
Hyman, standing at 6 feet 2 inches, now plays guard for Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, the nation's oldest Historically Black University. Hyman is Lincoln's second leading scorer (14.2 points per game). Hyman has helped Lincoln to a 7-13 record. The Lions visit Livingstone for the first time Saturday night for a 7:30 p.m. start
Hyman transferred to Lincoln from Jarvis Christian College, a Division I NAIA school, in Hawkins, Texas. The distance he said played the biggest part in his decision to transfer.
“I really didn't like being that far away from home and my mother,” said Hyman. “She is my biggest supporter, she worked two jobs when I was younger and still found the time to see me play.”
Hyman, a Human Services major at Lincoln, already has an Associates Degree from Alfred State. Hyman hopes to see where both his Associates and his future Lincoln degree will take him before he thinks about graduate school. The Human Services field is where you have to work well and understand people and Hyman gets plenty of practice on the court.
“Our team chemistry is great,” Hyman said. “We're working together as a group and putting aside all our individual thoughts to have one thought and that is to win.”
Hyman thrived almost immediately for the Lions using a contribution of his strengths and weaknesses to make him a better player. He loves challenge. Hyman is able to get off shots with defenders in his face. He is also improving at getting the rebound if he misses a shot.
In Lincoln's last victory against Fayetteville State, a 75-71 victory. Hyman finished with 20 points and five rebounds, the seventh time this season he has scored 18 or more points. Hyman scored a career-high 25 points in Lincoln's first win against Holy Family on November 25. During the game, seven of Hyman's eight baskets were 3-pointers to help Lincoln to the 81-64 victory.
Overall, Hyman Leads Lincoln with 55 3- pointers and has made at least four in a game six times this season (Bowie, Virginia Union, Elizabeth City State, Saint Augustine, Holy Family and Fayetteville State). Hyman's accuracy and sharp-shooting has helped Lincoln surpass its four-win total from last year and become an immediate threat in the Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association (CIAA).
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