MATT JAMESON

Steve Virgen

When Matt Jameson was growing up in Newport Beach he dreamed about

basketball.

He envisioned himself playing college basketball at an NCAA

Division I school. The NBA was not a big deal for Jameson. He saw

what he wanted in college basketball. And, he worked toward that

dream while at Newport Harbor High.

“Every kid wants to play in the NBA, but for some reason, I wanted

to play college basketball and that was always a dream of mine,” said

Jameson, who recently graduated from Miami of Ohio and returned to

Newport Beach. “It’s always been about March Madness. That’s what

I’ve been in love with, filling out the brackets. It’s awesome to

look back and say that I fulfilled that goal.”

Jameson, who started four years on the varsity team at Newport

Harbor, said he learned a lot while at Miami. There were some moments

that weren’t memorable, some that weren’t desired, yet, overall,

Jameson captured the essence of perseverance.

While at Newport, Jameson was known for his hard work, dedication

and passion toward the game. However, time and time again those

attributes were put to the test in college by Miami Coach Charlie

Coles, who is known for his old-school style and discipline.

“We didn’t have the best relationship on the court,” Jameson said.

“The best thing I can say about him is that he taught me a ton about

experience, about character and sacrifice.

“College basketball was a huge life experience for me. It taught

me a lot about life and discipline, much more than high school.”

Jameson earned a bachelor of arts degree in English literature.

Now he said he is in the process of figuring out what he wants to do

for the future. He has thought about coaching or going back to school

to earn a master’s degree.

Whatever he decides, he knows that basketball will always be his

source of strength. It’s the game that has provided so many lessons.

“Basketball has been a way that I have been able to establish my

life,” Jameson said. “It’s given me structure and discipline. It’s

always provided a goal for me because I was striving to get better at

it. Now there’s a new chapter in my life. It’s not that I’m trying to

step away from basketball. But those days of competing at the highest

level aren’t there for me anymore. There’s still a lot of me that

will always be a part of basketball. I don’t know if it will be

coaching or just playing recreational ball. Basketball has always

been a positive influence in my life. My family, Coach [Larry] Hirst

have always supported me.”

Hirst, the Newport Harbor boys basketball coach, attended

Jameson’s final home game at Miami of Ohio.

“That was really special for me,” said Jameson, the latest honoree

of the Daily Pilot Sports Hall of Fame.

Jameson’s time at Newport Harbor provided several highlights. He

said defeating Santa Margarita during his junior year was one of the

brightest moments. He also talked about beating Compton in the CIF

playoffs during his senior year.

“That was definitely an eye-opener,” Jameson said of playing at

Compton. “We had police escorts off the freeway. The color issue was

there, but it was just great to play against them from that city. I

think the reason we were able to win that game was because we were

loose. I just thought it was a lot of fun.”

It’s memories like those that keep Jameson involved with the game,

he said.