Brewer, Hinkle set to continue basketball careers overseas

Five months after playing the final basketball game of their AU careers, Troy Brewer and 2012 All-Patriot League First Team selection Charles Hinkle both signed contracts in the last two days to play overseas. Brewer, who is ninth all-time in school history with 112 3-pointers made, signed with Hungary’s Szedeak Szeged on August 16. “This is what you dream about ever since you’re a little kid,” Brewer said. “This is why you play the game; this is what you want to do. It’s a great opportunity.” Hinkle, who ranks fourth in program history with 85 3-pointers made in a single season and fifth with 155 free throws made in a year, signed with Turkey’s Istanbulspor on August 17. “It’s a dream come true,” Hinkle said. “I’ve always wanted to be a professional basketball player. It’s kind of surreal that all of this hard work ever since I was little has gotten me to this point.” Brewer’s future team is a member of Hungary’s A Division, a league that he already has some history with. When AU went on a 10-day European tour last summer, Brewer scored a team-high 17 points and hit the game-tying jumper with 1.8 seconds left against Kecskemeti Univer, also a member of Hungary’s highest professional league. Hinkle’s future squad is a member of the Turkey-TB2L division, the second highest league in Turkey. Both Hinkle and Brewer begin playing games in October, and although Hinkle doesn’t know when he’s leaving yet, Brewer is set to go September 4. One person who has helped both players throughout the process of signing overseas has been AU Head Coach Jeff Jones. “He guided me a lot,” Brewer said. “I talked to him through this process and he gave me his perspective about things, and told me what he thought was a good fit and what he didn’t [think was a good fit].” After a breakout season his senior year, Hinkle feels his time with the Eagles helped get him to where he is. “Without AU, I probably wouldn’t be in this spot right now,” Hinkle said. “Coach Jones and the AU staff, as well as my teammates, helped me get here.” Brewer echoed the feelings of his former teammate. “Definitely my coaches at American have helped me get to where I am now,” Brewer said. “Coach Jones is a great coach; he’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever been around. They gave me an opportunity and I enjoyed every minute there.” sports@theeagleonline.com