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THIS SEASON: Nate Hair, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound sophomore guard, should continue to provide a perimeter scoring threat off the bench in 2001. An athletic player, Hair can also create off the dribble.
BIBBY ON HAIR: "Nate Hair shot the ball well for us last year and should improve drastically overall this year. He's worked hard in the off-season to improve. If he can make strides defensively, the sky is the limit for his playing time. He was hurt at the start of last year, so it took him a while to get into the flow. A healthy start this year will enable him to make that much more progress."
1999-2000: Hair played in 27 of 30 games, starting three times, as a 2000 freshman guard ... He finished the season as the top reserve off the bench and averaged 4.2 points in 16.7 minutes per game ... He made .403 of his three-pointers (29-of-72), tying him with Brian Scalabrine for the best accuracy on the team ... It was also good enough for eighth best in the Pac-10 ... In conference games, Hair averaged 5.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game and his .453 three-point percentage (24-of-53) was best on the team and fifth best in the Pac-10 ... Each of his three starts came in the Pac-10 ... He made his first career start at Oregon State and posted season highs in points (14), three-pointers (four), assists (seven), steals (three) and minutes (39) ... He also started both games against California ... Hair tied his career-high with four three-pointers (accounting for all 12 points) at then-No. 1 Stanford and he had 13 points in 35 minutes at Oregon off the bench, hitting 3-of-4 three-point attempts ... He missed most of the preseason and both exhibition games recovering from a stress fracture in his knee.
HIGH SCHOOL: Hair prepped at Capistrano Valley High in Mission Viejo, Calif., as a senior in 1999, averaging 15 points and five rebounds per game ... He was a 1999 Street & Smith's All-American honorable mention, an All-Stater Sports 1999 West Regional Dream Team fourth teamer and a 1999 Best in the West and 1999 Orange County Register Fab 15 second team pick ... He was also rated the 25th top prospect in the nation and the second-best backcourt shooter by recruiting expert Bob Gibbons entering the 1999 season.
Hair played for Aliso Niguel High in Aliso Viejo, Calif., for his sophomore and junior years in 1997-98 ... In 1998, Hair averaged 13 points, five assists while fighting through an-injury plagued season ... He averaged 18 points as a sophomore in 1997, earning All-Pacific Coast League first team honors and was named his team's MVP.
As a freshman in 1996, Hair played for Ocean View High in Huntington Beach, Calif.
SIDELIGHTS: Hair was born on Oct. 1, 1980 ... He is majoring in communications at USC ... His full name is Nathanael James Hair.
