2014 Dixie Heights Shooting Guard Brandon Hatton committed to Vermont yesterday morning. Hatton chose the Catamounts over offers from Samford, Montana State, Winthrop, Jacksonville and Gardner-Webb.

Hatton is considered among the best shooters in the state, if not the best. He's also one of the best scorers, he averaged 23.4 points per game last season (good for 8th best in the state). This season though Hatton is expected to benefit from the growth of underclassmen who got their feet wet last season. While that may keep his points per game from jumping up, it will benefit in his quest for a 9th Region Championship.

I spoke briefly with Hatton and he said that he thought he'd fit in very well with the Vermont offense. He also said that his mind was made up after he visited Vermont a couple weeks ago. "It felt like home when I visited." Hatton joins Ernie Duncan (Harrison(Evansville, IN)), Greg Stire (Christian Brother Academy (Niskayune, NY)) and Cameron Ward (Marshall (Marshall, WI)) as part of Vermont's 2014 recruiting class.

Getting his commitment out of the way before the start of the season should allow him to focus solely on his last season as a Colonel. One that sees him as one of the early favorites for Mr. Basketball and 9th Region player of the year.