Sampson commits first 2009 prospect

IU men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson nabbed his first recruit for the 2009-2010 season when Indiana-native Derek Elston verbally committed to IU on Sunday, Elston’s AAU coach David Hamilton said. \nElston, who recently started his junior year at Tipton High School in Tipton, Ind., is ranked as a four-star recruit and No. 97 in the class of 2009 by recruiting Web site Rivals.com. The 6-foot-8 power forward averaged 14.9 points and 12 rebounds per game as a sophomore last season. \n“He fits the mold of an Indiana basketball player,” said Hamilton, coach of SYF Indiana Rising Stars AAU team. “He’s going to be a tremendous college basketball player.” \nHamilton said Elston has a “multi-dimensional game” and can create a mismatch for some big players because he can shoot the ball well from the outside. But he can also match up against some of the bigger players, too.\n“He is a big man with guard skills, but he doesn’t try to be a guard,” Hamilton said.\nHamilton said he expects Elston to play either the small forward or power forward position when he arrives in Bloomington in the fall of 2009. \nElston’s commitment might be extra sweet for Hoosier fans since he chose IU over a handful of Indiana schools. Elston had offers from Purdue and Butler, among others, and had strong interest from North Carolina, Hamilton said. Elston’s father, Darrell Elston, played for North Carolina in the 1970s before playing professionally. \nHamilton said the Tar Heels were going to see how Elston developed during his junior year and still might have offered him a scholarship.\nBut Elston wanted to be close to home. \n“He thought he’d make his name for himself,” Hamilton said, “which is probably a \nsmart move.”\nHamilton learned of Elston’s commitment during his team’s end-of-the-year party held on Sunday. Elston and his mother arrived clad in crimson.\nHamilton said he expects special things from Elston when he plays college ball. Hamilton graduated from IU in 1981 and still remembers the celebratory scene at Showalter Fountain when Isiah Thomas led the Hoosiers to their fourth national championship. Hamilton said he wouldn’t be surprised if Elston helps IU hang another banner from the rafters. \n“I think he is going to be one of the pieces of the puzzle,” he said.