2023-24 Winter High School Sports Preview: New West Valley boys basketball coach Mike Hamilton 'bleeds orange and black'

Dec. 6—Mike Hamilton knows the rich boys basketball coaching history at West Valley High School.

He grew up in it. He was in the program in the final years coach Joe Feist was roaming the sideline, then he played for Jamie Nilles.

Hamilton remembers sitting in the bleachers watching one of his brothers who was a year behind him play. That's when Nilles approached him.

"He asked me what I was doing there," Hamilton said. "I told him I was there to watch my brother. He told me I needed to get in the gym and volunteer coaching."

Hamilton did just that, bouncing from freshman to C team to junior varsity and varsity, helping wherever he could for a year.

He got the bug and he hasn't left. He's been around three Hall of Fame coaches, the last 14 years with Jay Humphrey.

"I did (volunteer) for a year and here we are — it's Year 20 for me in the program," Hamilton said.

Humphrey retired after last season. Nilles, the veteran athletic director at West Valley, knew who he wanted as the next coach.

"He bleeds Orange and Black," Nilles said. "He's been waiting for this opportunity."

Humphrey agreed.

"He's West Valley through and through," Humphrey said.

Hamilton, 42, has learned how to coach first hand. Call it on -the -job training — although back in 2000 when he graduated from WV he had no idea he'd be carrying the title of head coach someday.

He's blended strategies from Feist, Nilles and Humphrey with his own ideas.

Hamilton looked at the wall in the gym that has the assorted feats for the school's various sports featured prominently on plaques. The most recent entry under boys basketball was a league championship in 2012-13.

West Valley is in one of the most competitive leagues in the state. Pullman and Clarkston have captured five state championships since the Eagles last won a league title. They've been second in league a handful of times when their rivals have had outstanding teams.

So, Hamilton takes over with his eyes wide open.

He knows what it means to be invested in the school's athletic programs. He was a two-year letterwinner in football, starting at quarterback his senior year, and he earned two letters in basketball, starting for Nilles his senior year.

"We made it to the state semifinals my junior year in basketball and were ranked No. 1 for a good portion of my junior year and then stubbed our toe at state and didn't place," Hamilton said.

Hamilton was what most would understand as a "program kid" when it came to basketball.

"I was a small, undersized post," Hamilton said. "I was more of a utility guy, a tough guy who brought energy and rebounding and defense. I wasn't the go-to scorer. We had enough of those on my team."

Hamilton believes there's a privilege in donning a WV uniform. He has program rules.

"Good grades are required to play," he said. "You need to be a good student and an example in the hallways. Hair must be off the collar, ears and eyes groomed by the first game. We're trying to win basketball games at the same time as developing them to be respectful, productive citizens when they graduate."

He calls it a "Millwood mentality." He grew up less than a mile from the school and currently lives a half mile away.

Hamilton talked Humphrey into introducing an alternate uniform last season. Jersey and shorts are orange with MILLWOOD across the front.

"I wanted to honor the town," Hamilton said. "It's a tough town, it's a blue-collar kind of place. That's what we institute into the program as well."

Hamilton takes over a program that has talent in the wings and more coming from the middle school. One of the Eagles' top potential starters moved to Montana, but the y bring back their best player in senior Ben Fried along with senior point guard Parker Munns. The balance of the team will be made up of juniors who played on a 20-0 junior varsity last year.

"After that we have a lot of inexperience, but a lot of talent," Hamilton said. "We had a great summer. We went to a tournament in Seattle and played in a couple tournaments around here. And we went to the Whitworth camp. We played a bunch of competition to get them sped up and ready to go."

Humphrey looks forward to watching Hamilton establish his program.

"He's a hard worker and loyal," Humphrey said. "He was a fantastic assistant coach, and I couldn't ask for a better one. I knew the end was coming for me and I started giving him more and more chances to run things. He's ready to run things."

Four of Hamilton's six assistants are West Valley grads. He wanted to surround himself with people of like mentality.

"There's definitely a sense of large shoes to fill, but it's a sense of joy," Hamilton said about stepping into the head coaching position. "I pinch myself every day as I figure out this is really happening."

Nilles has no doubt that Hamilton is a good fit.

"He was the kind of the kid every coach liked to coach," Nilles said. "He was all about his team and the success of his team over anything he did individually. I always liked his passion and how he could relate to the kids. He's really in tune with the game. He has big shoes to fill, but he's been successful in all the positions he's had. He's confident."