CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. — Alan Horton’s high school career ended Saturday the same way it began, with him doing the dirty work inside, making plays that don’t always show up on the stat sheet but make coaches take notice.
The 6-foot-9 forward from Toledo St. Francis de Sales finished with eight points, two rebounds, as well as an assist, steal and block in team Ohio’s 114-91 loss to Kentucky in the boys game of the Ohio-Kentucky All-Star Game at Thomas More University’s Connor Convocation Center on Saturday, April 11th. But for Horton, the moment was bigger than the box score, it was a final chapter before he joins the RedHawks in Oxford and provided one last opportunity to share the floor with familiar opponents.
“It means a lot,” Horton said about playing in the All-Star game. “You get to play with people that are really good from all across the state. I’ve known a lot of them for a long time, so it’s really fun to play with them one last time.”
Horton also got to play for his head coach, Jamie Kachmarik, one more time. Kachmarik was selected as the head coach for team Ohio.
“It felt good to have him coaching one more time and compete with him,” Horton said.
A Storied Career
Horton leaves St. Francis de Sales with a decorated career. He earned back-to-back Division II District 7 Player of the Year honors and was named to the Division II All-Ohio Third-Team after this senior season. He also ranked sixth in the state in 2-point field goal percentage, converting at a 73.6% clip. That number is a testament to the polished interior footwork that Miami head coach Travis Steele praised when announcing Horton’s signing this past November.
Horton was also a McDonald’s All-American nominee and helped lead St. Francis de Sales to the Division II State Final Four during his junior season.
“Alan is a terrific young man, kudos to his parents,” Kachmarik said. “You’re not going to find a nicer kid, respectful kid, and an absolutely hard worker.”
That work ethic, Kachmarik says, separates Horton from the crowd.
“He’s like a sponge, he’s a smart kid, and he really soaks it up,” Kachmarik said. “Even in the All-Star game, he’s in help side defense, and he’s trying to slide over it and help rolls and that type of stuff. He just has a high basketball IQ, especially on the defensive end.”
A Family Legacy
Basketball is in Horton’s blood. His older brother, Logan, a 6-foot-11 center, just wrapped up his freshman season at Defiance College. The Horton family’s commitment extends beyond the court as well. Alan carries a 4.2 GPA, while Logan posted a 4.3 coming out of high school.
The family’s deepest ties to the sport, though, run through their mother, Kim.
Kim Horton is a member of the Toledo Rockets Hall of Fame, and for good reason. Playing for Toledo from 1988-1991, she finished her career with 1,684 points – the fourth highest in program history – and 907 rebounds, third all-time. She was a three-time All-MAC selection and was named the MAC Player of the Year in the 1990-1991 season, it was during that season where she led Toledo to its first MAC title and NCAA Tournament appearance. In that tournament, the Rockets defeated Rutgers on the road, becoming the first MAC team to win a first-round NCAA tournament game on the road. She also holds the MAC single-game scoring record with 42 points.
It’s no coincidence that Alan’s most refined skill mirrors his mother’s greatest strength.
“His footwork in the post is way beyond his age,” Kachmarik said. “I would love to take credit for it, but I think mom’s got to take credit for it.”
Why Miami?
When it came time to choose where he’d continue his career, Horton didn’t have to look far for a program that fit. Head coach Travis Steele and assistant coach Carl Richburg were the primary recruiters on Horton, and their persistence made an impression.
“I ended up choosing Miami because they have great coaches who were recruiting me really well,” Horton said. “The campus is super nice as well.”
Steele saw something special in the Toledo big man early. “Alan has been on our radar for a couple of years, and he has taken enormous strides during that time frame,” Steele said in November. “Alan has great hands, feet and feel for the game. His interior offensive footwork is very advanced for his age. He is also a very strong rebounder and defender.”
The Miami connection runs a little deeper than most recruiting relationships, too. Kachmarik previously recruited Miami associate head coach Jonathan Holmes as a high school prospect during his time coaching at William & Mary, giving Horton’s recruitment a familiar thread on both sides.
What RedHawk fans can expect
For Miami fans watching a new face join the program, Horton’s profile is straightforward: a physical, efficient interior presence who makes his living close to the basket and protects it on the other end.
“I play well in the post,” Horton said. “I have good footwork and I try to make the right plays.”
Kachmarik echoes that selfless approach, though he’s not above giving his big man a little constructive grief about it.
“I wish he was a little more selfish, but he’s really unselfish in the post, he can really pass,” Kachmarik said. “The biggest thing with him is he is a really good offensive rebounder because he’s always in the right position. He understands angles, and he’s a very good duck-in guy. But what he’s worked on the most over the past year is really starting to expand his game on the perimeter.”
Horton is joining a RedHawks program looking to continue the momentum from a historic 32-2 season. If his high school career is any indication, Miami should be expecting a player who shows up ready to do just that and work from day one.
Bryan Miller is the Miami RedHawks beat writer for The Report. He can be reached at mbryan371@gmail.com.
