Returning to Cerritos College for his first year as an assistant coach, Riley “Buzzy” Hamilton was known for his clutch shooting as a member of the Falcons. During his All-South Coast Conference Honorable Mention sophomore season in 2017-18, Hamilton hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer in overtime in the Southern California Regional Playoffs against Riverside City College. The team advanced to the 3C2A State Semifinals that season. On the year, Hamilton averaged 8.2 points and 3.3 rebounds, while converting 46% of his field goals, 39% from three-point range and 82% of his free throws.

Hamilton started his coaching career at Cal State San Bernardino, where he was part of the staff that was named the CCAA Coaching Staff of the Year and led them to the conference championship. He spent the 2022-23 season as the Associate Head Coach at Palomar College, where the team finished the season with the second highest scoring average in the 3C2A.

Hamilton signed with Tuskegee (AL) University after Cerritos, where he averaged 9.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists a game, while earning the team’s Most Improved Player. Hamilton then transferred to Western Oregon University for his senior year, where he averaged 4.8 points and 1.7 rebounds for the Wolves.

A graduate of Rancho Verde High, Hamilton averaged eight points and six rebounds as a senior. He played his first two seasons at Martin Luther King High in Riverside and helped them win a CIF Championship his sophomore season.

Hamilton earned his Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in Exercise Science from Western Oregon University in 2020 and is currently working on his Masters degree in Kinesiology from Cal Poly Pomona.

Hamilton, 25, is single and lives in Riverside.