The South County boys’ basketball team ended the 2012-13 regular season with a 7-15 record and entered the Patriot District tournament as the No. 7 seed. Despite having lost 11 of their last 13 games, the Stallions turned things around in the postseason, starting with an upset of No. 2-seed West Potomac in the district quarterfinals, which earned South County a berth in the regional tournament. The Stallions would reach the district championship game, where they lost to Lake Braddock. In the region tournament, South County defeated Mount Vernon and Chantilly before ending its season with a loss to eventual champion Woodson in the semifinals.
Leading the way for South County was 2013 graduate Justin Hampton, who ended his career as the program’s all-time leading scorer. The 6-foot-5 Hampton was a threat to score anywhere on the court. He showed his perimeter touch during a Pohanka Classic contest, when he buried eight 3-pointers. Hampton will continue his basketball career at Christopher Newport University.
*Connection: What made Christopher Newport the right fit for you?
Hampton: I felt it had the best combination of athletics and academics for me.
*Connection: What will you study?
Hampton: I'm on track to major in business management and minor in computer science.
*Connection: What position will you play?
Hampton: I'm going to play their wing position, so like 2/3.
*Connection: What is your favorite memory of playing basketball at South County?
Hampton: Probably the home playoff game against Chantilly. I had as many points as they did at half time. I felt like I was on top of the world after that one.
*Connection: What is your career high for points in a game?
Hampton: I had 39 against TC.
*Connection: How many years were you on varsity?
Hampton: Just for two years.
*Connection: As a shooter/scorer, how would you describe your mentality on the court?
Hampton: Attack. I try to take advantage of every scoring opportunity possible.
*Connection: If you could go back and change one thing about your high school athletic career, what would it be?
Hampton: I would get serious earlier. I didn't really start working out on my own until the summer before my junior year.
*Connection: At what age did you start playing basketball? When did you realize playing college basketball was a possibility for you?
Hampton: When I was like 5, probably. After my sophomore year when a lot of my friends started getting looks.
*Connection: Are you getting a scholarship? If so, what kind?
Hampton: I'm getting a Presidential Leadership Scholarship.
*Connection: What are you most looking forward to about the transition from high school to college?
Hampton: Hopefully less politics and more basketball.
*Connection: Who is your favorite musician? Why?
Hampton: I like Sonny Rollins; he's a jazz saxophonist. I was the first chair saxophonist for our band for three years.
*Connection: What’s your favorite movie? Why?
Hampton: “Space Jam.” It's just always been my favorite movie.
*Connection: What’s your favorite food?
Hampton: Pizza.
*Connection: What is your favorite hobby outside of basketball?
Hampton: I play music and like video games.
*Connection: What location is the farthest you’ve traveled from the Washington, D.C. metro area?
Hampton: I've been to Cancun and Jamaica.
—Jon Roetman