They Spent the Summer Working

If you’re 15 and don’t play for a travel basketball team, you’ve either been judged not good enough or you must be a hidden talent.

In the case of sophomore guard Ja- Shon Hampton of Los Angeles Fairfax, he better get an unlisted phone number because travel coaches are going to be pleading with him to join their teams next summer.

Fairfax is the defending state Division I champion, and it’s easy to identify the Lions’ top players. There’s Duke-bound Jamal Boykin, talented junior Jerren Shipp and impressive sophomore Chace Stanback.

But the reason the Lions won the Watts Summer Games championship and the Compton Dominguez tournament this summer was Hampton, who proved he’s a defensive warrior by shutting down several of Southern California’s top scorers.

Only 5 feet 10, Hampton’s quickness and ability to anticipate passes made him a defensive pest. He took so many charging fouls that Coach Harvey Kitani is thinking of starting a charge club, with Hampton as its charter member. He was also an outstanding passer and dependable three-point shooter.

“From spring to now, he’s made a couple of jumps,” Kitani said.

Hampton gets my vote as the most improved athlete for the summer of 2004, which is a crucial eight-week period in which young players can be transformed into college prospects because of added strength, maturity and experience.

Hampton started showing signs of potential in the City Championship game in March, when he came off the bench as a freshman to make three three-point shots at the Sports Arena. He continued his improvement in the summer, spending up to five hours each day in the gym practicing his skills.

“I study a lot about basketball, watching different players and adding to my game,” he said.

“I love guarding the best player on the other team. I’m like the [defensive back] in football. I loop off my man, and once the ball is floating, I go after it.”

Hampton wasn’t invited to any national camps and didn’t play on a travel team. But, Kitani said, “I went to the Nike camp and saw a lot of good guards. To me, [JaShon] could play with them and give them problems.”

Other athletes making dramatic summer progress:

James Keefe, Santa Margarita, Jr.: The 6-8 forward established himself as a national basketball recruit. Already recognized for his rebounding skills, Keefe displayed the kind of toughness and resiliency that college coaches clamor for. He averaged 9.7 points and 9.1 rebounds as a sophomore for a 29-4 team, and come winter, those numbers are going to climb considerably.

Omondi Amoke, Santa Barbara, So.: A 6-6 center who has the ballhandling skills to play point guard, Amoke is only 15 and gaining attention for his improving scoring skills.

Matt Valaika, Newhall Hart, Jr.: During one summer stretch, Valaika hit home runs in four consecutive games. He’s a shortstop with improving arm strength. His older brother Chris was the top freshman in the Big West Conference at UC Santa Barbara last season. Valaika helped Hart win the championship of the Valley Invitational League.

Andrew Doupe, Westlake, Sr.: After rarely playing last season, Doupe hit 11 home runs in 15 games while batting .520 this summer for the Warriors. He’s a 6-2, 205-pound outfielder with a 1,330 SAT score who has never received a grade other than A in high school. “He’s made big leaps,” Coach Josh Eby said. “He’s a workaholic. He lives in the batting cage.”

Chris Tillman, Fountain Valley, Jr.: This 6-5, 190-pound right-hander is on his way to becoming the Southland’s dominant pitcher. He helped his club team win the Junior Olympics in Arizona in June.

Then he did something rare for a 16-year-old -- he took a rest to save his arm after three years of nonstop pitching. “I was thinking to myself, ‘I need to say no once in a while,’ ” he said.

He focused on gaining strength and stamina by running at night. His mental maturity should propel him to prominence this spring.

Ashley Engle, Anaheim Esperanza, Jr.: There might not be a better junior girls’ volleyball player in California. She helped her Saddleback Valley club team win the 17-and-under national championship in Reno in July. The 6-2 setter-hitter became the focus of an all-out recruiting competition between USC and UCLA.

Malcolm Smith, Woodland Hills Taft, So.: The younger brother of USC receiver Steve Smith hasn’t played a down of varsity football, but all signs point toward his becoming a standout at fullback and free safety this fall. He’s already stronger and bigger than his brother at a similar stage.

Kevin Thomas, Oxnard Rio Mesa, Sr.: Thomas wasn’t considered an elite football prospect before the summer began. Now he’s one of the most sought-after defensive backs in Southern California. His speed and coverage skills wooed college recruiters at combines. And he showed in passing league competitions that the hype was legitimate.

Chane Moline, Mission Viejo, Jr.: The 230-pound fullback generated plenty of respect as a sophomore, but wait until you see what he accomplishes this fall after a summer in which a stronger, faster Moline elicited oohs and ahs with his receiving skills.

Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.