Reunited duo hopes to lead Nicolet back to boys state basketball tournament
When Nicolet junior Davion Hannah got a text over the summer from longtime friend Nacir Beamon that Beamon would be joining the Nicolet district this school year, Hannah wasn't sure if it was a joke.
It was not until Hannah saw Beamon's mother in the hallway at Nicolet High School a few weeks later that he realized that a reunion was very much on the horizon.
"I didn’t believe him at first, because he’s always playing around," Hannah said. "When I saw his mom, it clicked that he was serious, and I went and gave her a big hug."
Beamon (15.3 points per game) and Hannah (13.6) were the second- and third-leading scorers, respectively, on the 2021-22 Milwaukee Academy of Science team that reached the WIAA Division 4 state title game. A Novas trio that also included leading scorer Tayshawn Bridges (18.8) then began to forge their own paths after the run that ended just shy of a championship.
Bridges and Beamon transferred to different Arizona prep academies, while Hannah moved to Nicolet, where he provided an immediate impact. He led the Knights in scoring (19.9) and rebounding (9.8) en route to a WIAA Division 2 state tournament appearance. Nicolet took eventual champion Pewaukee down to the wire in a 58-56 loss in the state semifinals.
Beamon said his time at Bella Vista College Prep in Scottsdale, Arizona, was beneficial in his preparation for a potential bright future in NCAA Division I basketball. The level of competition and attention given to various components of being a successful athlete were a step above what he had experienced to that point.
"Getting stronger, the nutrition, the food, just getting your body together," Beamon said. "All the little things to get ready for college that sometimes you don’t do in high school. It’s the little stuff."
Moving back to Milwaukee and the Nicolet district was not only an opportunity to move back in with his mom, but to join a competitive team led by his friend and former teammate.
"It was a good fit (going in), and it's become a good fit," Beamon said. "(Hannah) is a lot better, two years older now, we can throw alley-oops, it's a lot of fun."
Hannah and Nicolet coach Terence Smith used the words "dirty work" and "grittiness" to describe what Beamon brings to a talented, senior-led squad.
"He’ll go out there, guard the best player for the whole 36 minutes full-court, he’s just willing to do anything to win the game," Hannah said.
The impact was palpable in Tuesday's 92-68 win over Grafton, as the pressure provided by the 6-foot-4 guard set the tone for a 22-steal game for the Knights. The takeaways had the Black Hawks defending a constant fast-break attack while looking out below on some high-flying athletic finishes at the rim from Hannah and Beamon.
"It’s all about defense. Defense is our offense, that’s what we do," Smith said.
With a roster including 10 seniors, there is a sense of urgency to capitalize on the experienced talent. The 6-6 Hannah, a fellow Division I prospect, still has another high school year, but the desire to hoist a gold ball after two near misses burns as hot as anyone's. He briefly appeared to be following the path of Bridges and Beamon with an announcement he had committed to an Arizona prep academy in the summer, but later he decided to return for this season.
"I got caught up in the social media stuff and people saying you need to go to (a prep academy) to succeed, but I had to sit down and actually think about it," Hannah said. "I’ve been succeeding without a prep school, and that’s not going to go anywhere if I don’t go to a prep school."
Hannah's optimism for the remainder of this season for the Knights, who were 3-2 entering play Thursday. is perhaps best reflected in his text back to Beamon over the summer:
"That's amazing, I'm glad I stayed."
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Reunited duo hopes to lead Nicolet back to state basketball tournament
