Written By: Kevin Moses
Matt Hatfield
@matthatfield02
6’1″
170 lbs
Class of 2026
Logan High School, WV
Matt Hatfield is a dynamic stud that is a savvy veteran point guard with high IQ and great court vision. A vocal leader who gets everyone in the positions where they want to be without hesitation, Matt runs his offensive system like a well oiled machine and is like a coach on the floor. He’s a steady hand willing to do whatever is necessary to get the win. Matt is a dazzling passer and gritty defender who loves taking on the challenge of locking down the best player on the floor. Matt will always be the hardest worker on the floor. He is coachable and hungry for a win every minute on that floor. Matt mixes it up on the boards effectively.
Last season, Matt averaged 10.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.7 steals, 2 steals and 1 block per game. The bonding and chemistry is what Matt remembers most about AAU. Matt’s biggest improvement has been becoming more of a vocal leader. In the past, Matt was a leader by action only, but now the balance makes him the perfect floor general. The goal every entering the season was to get to Charleston for the state tournament and that was achieved. Matt finished the season averaging 11.6 points, shooting 41.4% from 3-point range and 42.4% from the field overall. He also averaged 4.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 1 drawn charge per game.
Getting to the state tournament was an experience Matt won’t soon forget. His first trip there was a wild ride and Matt relished every second. No one gave them a shot to get there, but they proved all the doubters wrong even though it didn’t end with a championship. They were there among the best teams in West Virginia. The lights are a little brighter and the competition more intense in Charleston. After a few minutes the team was ready to roll once the nerves settled. This was the biggest lesson Matt learned this year – knowing anything can happen, and you can’t get off to a slow start in Charleston. You have to play consistently. The reality is that both teams will go on runs but it’s the team that doesn’t panic staying poised and calm that’s gonna come out on top.
Matt’s IQ, court vision and ability to read the floor is what separates him. Matt takes pride in controlling the tempo and flow of the game, paying close attention to the details that make him a great facilitator. His passion and energy is evident from the moment the ball is tipped until the final horn. The dream is D1, but he knows being undersized is a huge task. The grind won’t stop and living the dream of playing any level that’s a good fit matters the most. Matt’s drive and focus is to play for a team that is like family and he fits the system well. My assessment is he has already won half the battle understanding fit and play style suiting his skills matters more than the division level. He’s a solid D2 or D3 now.
My advice is to let no one limit how high you fly, Matt. There will always be doubters but being undersized doesn’t have to be a handicap or a limitation. It just means you gotta work harder than the rest. You have to be tougher and more fierce than anyone on the floor that you face. We determine how we fly. You focus on being the best version of yourself. You can be putting in the work like you want to be D1. Once you have done that, you can live with whatever comes now. There was nothing held back and you could not give anything more to this game you love so much. Then get back in the lab and grind more. There is no ceiling and no limits. Many great ones were told they couldn’t make it too.
