Eastern Washington guard Sebastian Hartmann sees role expand after coaching transition

In the middle of the second half of Monday’s basketball game against Montana State, Eastern Washington guard Sam Stockton grabbed an offensive rebound and drove toward the paint, with Sebastian Hartmann standing near the 3-point line to Stockton’s right.

Stockton shifted focus and looked to pass to Hartmann in the corner. The problem was, Hartmann was no longer there. Instead, the sophomore guard had made a backdoor move toward the basket. Stockton’s pass went out of bounds for a turnover.

It was a rare miscue – something Hartmann said happens maybe once every other game – but a miscue nonetheless, one of a handful of plays that got away from the Eagles in a 74-64 loss to the Bobcats that dropped them to 2-4 in Big Sky play.

Still, the fact that such a play works so often – and so often leads to a wide-open basket – is a testament to the steady, reliable skill of the 6-foot-6 sophomore who opted to stick around during the offseason, the bench player who became a full-time starter and captain for the Eagles (6-13, 2-4 Big Sky), who are looking to even their conference record during home games at Reese Court this week against Northern Arizona (11-8, 2-4) on Thursday and Northern Colorado (14-5, 6-0) on Saturday.

“His skill set fit right into our style of play last year,” said EWU assistant coach Ben Beauchamp, who, like Hartmann, stuck around during the program’s coaching transition. “We quickly found out his skill set is so versatile in any system.”

Last year, when he averaged 12.6 minutes and three points per game, Hartmann’s role was that of a steady, reliable bench player who could spell Eastern’s group of experienced offensive-minded players. He attempted 77 shots all season; six of his teammates attempted at least 200.

Hartmann has attempted 126 shots this season as his minutes have increased to a starter’s share at 29.4 per game. But his shooting percentage has remained steady (54.5% last year versus 53.2% this year), and Hartmann has become much more of a 3-point threat, making 24 of 61 , tied with teammate and roommate Vice Zanki for the most such makes on the team. Last year Hartmann made just 7 of 36 3-pointers.

“I would say my role is to do what the team needs,” Hartmann said Wednesday. “I am shooting the 3 more this year, scoring more points and being more aggressive. But for me, it’s really about doing what the team needs.”

So much of what the team has needed is Hartmann’s defense, rebounding (he has 77, third most on the team) and his ability to move without the ball.

That last aspect – off-ball movement – is a hallmark of the way Hartmann learned to play in Germany, where he grew up and played professionally before coming to Eastern as a freshman in the spring of 2023.

“In Europe overall there is more emphasis on playing off the ball than creating (shots) for yourself,” Hartmann said. “Coaches helped me when I was growing up to work on that.

“Mostly I get open because I am standing in those in-between spots, where it is hard for the defense to tell whether I will stay in the corner or go the other way.”

Hartmann’s ability to find those vacant spaces was something EWU head coach Dan Monson learned of even before running any practices; once they did get to share a gym, Hartmann’s skill was clear.

“He’s one of the best cutters I’ve coached,” Monson said earlier this season.

“(Former EWU head coach) David Riley, when he went through the (returning) players, told me he’s a really good cutter, and he hasn’t disappointed.”

Hartmann chose to stay with the Eastern Washington program for a number of reasons, among them the anticipation of the increase in playing time that has come to pass. But there was also the benefit of having consistency off the court and the continuity of playing with the freshman who came to Cheney the same time he did.

He and Zanki, who is originally from Croatia, are close friends. Mason Williams, like Hartmann, played off the bench last year as a freshman. Second-year players Emmett Marquardt and Jackson Seale were also holdovers. Junior Nic McClain, who transferred in before last season, also stuck around.

Sure enough, Williams, McClain, Marquardt and Hartmann are now regular starters, and Zanki has carved out a bench rotation role much larger than what he filled last year.

“For me, it was not most important to commit to the highest level, necessarily,” Hartmann said of his initial decision to come to Eastern. “It was important to have a good place and people who wanted me to be there. It was a big step for me, coming overseas. … I thought (staying) was a great opportunity for me.”

Hartmann’s decision to stay hasn’t just been good for him, Beauchamp said. It’s been good for the whole team.

“He’s a very versatile person. He can get along with everybody,” Beauchamp said. “He’s just somebody that can relate to everyone. That’s why he’s a leader of our team.”