Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Chamberlin, Hamel Living Out A Dream
03/06/24 | Women's Basketball, @GoDucksMoseley
Oregon natives Ula Chamberlin and Bella Hamel took indirect paths to the UO women's basketball program, but they've played important roles for the Ducks as seniors.
LAS VEGAS — Early Tuesday afternoon, Bella Hamel soaked up the kind of moment she's made sure to enjoy every time it arose over the past three months.
Hamel and the rest of the Oregon women's basketball team arrived in Nevada for this week's Pac-12 Tournament on Monday evening, and had a practice session in the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Tuesday afternoon. The UO women will open the tournament with a game against Colorado on Wednesday (noon, Pac-12 Network).
A native of Hillsboro who spent the last three seasons at Lane Community College, Hamel has spent this year as a depth player for the Ducks. Though it's been a trying season in many ways, Hamel hasn't taken the opportunity for granted. Experiences like Tuesday afternoon, and others from road trips this season, are too precious.
"Every time I walked into a new Pac-12 arena, it was kind of a pinch-me moment," said Hamel, a 5-foot-9 guard who has appeared in 16 games this season. "You're walking into a big, open space, with no one there. You just have to kind of take that moment in."
Hamel is one of two Oregon natives who took unusual paths to the women's basketball program, but who have played crucial roles for the short-handed Ducks this season. Ula Chamberlin didn't even play for a college program last year, but the Medford native caught the eye of her current teammates while playing on campus at the University of Oregon, and she enters the Pac-12 Tournament having started the last seven games for the Ducks at guard.
"My journey is obviously super different than most," said Chamberlin, who began her college career with two seasons at Weber State before playing one year at UC San Diego and then enrolling at Oregon for the 2022-23 academic year. "But I feel super lucky and blessed to be in my home state, playing in front of my family and friends, and just being able to play at the University of Oregon. It's such a prestigious program, and there's so much value to being here. I feel like this is where I'm supposed to be, where I'm supposed to end my career."
Injuries and transfers have taken their toll on the UO roster in recent years. The Ducks needed hard-working players willing to fill the void. Chamberlin and Hamel willingly took on that challenge.
"They've been great kids, great teammates and hard workers," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "They've just represented us really well."
Chamberlin has played the larger role, appearing in 28 games with seven starts. She's Oregon's most accurate three-point shooter at 44.4 percent; her best game of the season happened to come against Wednesday's opponent, a 13-point outing at Colorado on Feb. 9 that included four three-pointers.
Chamberlin called playing at Oregon "like living in a dream." But at the same time, she said, it's a dream she envisioned becoming a reality through hard work and perseverance.
"I knew I was capable of playing at a school like this, so to be able to fulfill that dream just means the world to me," Chamberlin said. "Shooting is obviously the best aspect of my game, so I thought I could come in here and have an impact with that. It was just about proving to them I was meant to be here and could add something you guys maybe need."
The 13-point outing at Colorado led to an opportunity to start at Utah two days later. Chamberlin has been a fixture in the starting lineup since.
"I started at ground zero, but I have confidence in myself and I had it in my mind that's where I wanted to be," she said. "That's where I wanted to end up, and it was just a matter of how I'm going to get there. I'm just thankful that's how it ended up."
Hamel, meanwhile, has been heavily involved helping scout opponents in practices in recent weeks, while making 10 appearances during Pac-12 Conference play. Playing for the Ducks has been "the experience of a lifetime," she said.
"I wouldn't have believed this if you'd told me it just two years ago, based off the situation I was in," Hamel said. "But I got here. So just never stop chasing your dreams.
"I've just tried to bring positive energy, and with a different perspective on life. These girls have experienced basketball in a different way — they've been elite players all their lives — so for me it's just about taking a moment, stepping back and giving them kind of a real-world experience."
For the entire team, this season has provided some real-world lessons on dealing with adversity. But whatever Oregon's struggles on the court, they haven't marred the experience of playing this season as Ducks for Chamberlin and Hamel.
"As I've grown older, I don't base my experiences and my happiness off of wins and losses anymore," Chamberlin said. "I've based it off of the girls, the memories, the opportunities, and I think that's what you carry on through life. You don't remember how many games you've won; you remember all the opportunities you had, the memories with the girls, all the traveling. That's what I take a lot of pride in, and that's what I choose to remember."
Hamel and the rest of the Oregon women's basketball team arrived in Nevada for this week's Pac-12 Tournament on Monday evening, and had a practice session in the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Tuesday afternoon. The UO women will open the tournament with a game against Colorado on Wednesday (noon, Pac-12 Network).
A native of Hillsboro who spent the last three seasons at Lane Community College, Hamel has spent this year as a depth player for the Ducks. Though it's been a trying season in many ways, Hamel hasn't taken the opportunity for granted. Experiences like Tuesday afternoon, and others from road trips this season, are too precious.
"Every time I walked into a new Pac-12 arena, it was kind of a pinch-me moment," said Hamel, a 5-foot-9 guard who has appeared in 16 games this season. "You're walking into a big, open space, with no one there. You just have to kind of take that moment in."
Hamel is one of two Oregon natives who took unusual paths to the women's basketball program, but who have played crucial roles for the short-handed Ducks this season. Ula Chamberlin didn't even play for a college program last year, but the Medford native caught the eye of her current teammates while playing on campus at the University of Oregon, and she enters the Pac-12 Tournament having started the last seven games for the Ducks at guard.
"My journey is obviously super different than most," said Chamberlin, who began her college career with two seasons at Weber State before playing one year at UC San Diego and then enrolling at Oregon for the 2022-23 academic year. "But I feel super lucky and blessed to be in my home state, playing in front of my family and friends, and just being able to play at the University of Oregon. It's such a prestigious program, and there's so much value to being here. I feel like this is where I'm supposed to be, where I'm supposed to end my career."
Injuries and transfers have taken their toll on the UO roster in recent years. The Ducks needed hard-working players willing to fill the void. Chamberlin and Hamel willingly took on that challenge.
"They've been great kids, great teammates and hard workers," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "They've just represented us really well."
Chamberlin has played the larger role, appearing in 28 games with seven starts. She's Oregon's most accurate three-point shooter at 44.4 percent; her best game of the season happened to come against Wednesday's opponent, a 13-point outing at Colorado on Feb. 9 that included four three-pointers.
Chamberlin called playing at Oregon "like living in a dream." But at the same time, she said, it's a dream she envisioned becoming a reality through hard work and perseverance.
"I knew I was capable of playing at a school like this, so to be able to fulfill that dream just means the world to me," Chamberlin said. "Shooting is obviously the best aspect of my game, so I thought I could come in here and have an impact with that. It was just about proving to them I was meant to be here and could add something you guys maybe need."
The 13-point outing at Colorado led to an opportunity to start at Utah two days later. Chamberlin has been a fixture in the starting lineup since.
"I started at ground zero, but I have confidence in myself and I had it in my mind that's where I wanted to be," she said. "That's where I wanted to end up, and it was just a matter of how I'm going to get there. I'm just thankful that's how it ended up."
Hamel, meanwhile, has been heavily involved helping scout opponents in practices in recent weeks, while making 10 appearances during Pac-12 Conference play. Playing for the Ducks has been "the experience of a lifetime," she said.
"I wouldn't have believed this if you'd told me it just two years ago, based off the situation I was in," Hamel said. "But I got here. So just never stop chasing your dreams.
"I've just tried to bring positive energy, and with a different perspective on life. These girls have experienced basketball in a different way — they've been elite players all their lives — so for me it's just about taking a moment, stepping back and giving them kind of a real-world experience."
For the entire team, this season has provided some real-world lessons on dealing with adversity. But whatever Oregon's struggles on the court, they haven't marred the experience of playing this season as Ducks for Chamberlin and Hamel.
"As I've grown older, I don't base my experiences and my happiness off of wins and losses anymore," Chamberlin said. "I've based it off of the girls, the memories, the opportunities, and I think that's what you carry on through life. You don't remember how many games you've won; you remember all the opportunities you had, the memories with the girls, all the traveling. That's what I take a lot of pride in, and that's what I choose to remember."
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