Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus Auburn on February 24, 2026 , Win , 91, to, 79
Final
Men's Basketball
91
vs Auburn
79
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sampson, Sooners Shooting for Improving on Sweet '98-'99 Season
July 24, 1999 | Men's Basketball
July 23, 1999
In its final game of the 1998-99 season, the Oklahoma basketball team played in front of 42,440 fans at the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional semifinal in St. Louis, Mo. The Sooners lost that contest to top-seeded Michigan State by eight points, but displayed to the largest crowd in OU basketball history -- and to millions more on national television -- that they belonged in the Sweet 16. Led by preseason All-American Eduardo Najera, the 1999-00 Sooners will attempt to replicate, and hopefully surpass, last year's accomplishments. Head coach Kelvin Sampson says his program is approaching a level he desires.
"We've always been one of the top programs in our league," said Sampson, who has directed OU to five straight NCAA Tournaments. "But now I think we're thought of as a top program in the country. When you talk about the top 20 or 25 programs, Oklahoma has made its mark in that area. So our challenge is to go to the next level. Our next step is to make it to a top-10 level."
Despite the loss of four starters, including honorable mention All-Big 12 performers Michael Johnson and Eric Martin in the backcourt and third-team all-league pick Ryan Humphrey in the frontcourt, Sampson does not lack optimism. In fact, he exudes it. He says he feels it is realistic to think this year's squad can improve upon last season's 22-11 finish and Sweet 16 appearance.
Backcourt
The Sooners will display more depth in the backcourt than in any of Sampson's previous five years in Norman. Experience is an issue, however. Of the squad's seven backcourt members, only one has played regularly at the Division I level.
Junior Tim Heskett is by far the most veteran of OU's guards. The junior has played in 62 career games and last year averaged 9.5 points and 2.1 assists while shooting a school-record .473 from three-point land. The team's second-leading returning scorer started in nine contests last season and is also OU's career leader in three-point percentage (.422). Sampson says he'll always want players like Heskett on his team.
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| Tim Heskett |
"Some people look at Tim and try to tell you what he can't do. Well here's what he can do: win games, make big shots, make big plays. Plain and simple, Tim Heskett is a winner. I think the three greatest abilities a college player can have are responsibility, accountability and dependability. All three of those qualities describe Tim Heskett."
Another excellent shooter, Kelley Newton is expected to see significant time this season after recovering from torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee sustained last October. Also a junior, Newton was penciled in as the starter at the two-guard position before the knee injury in an intrasquad scrimmage.
"If you would have asked me last year between Oct. 15 and 31 who our starting two-guard would be, I would have told you Kelley Newton," said Sampson. "Unlike most junior college transfers, he impacted us early. His ability to come in and pick up our system, adjust to the way we play, his basketball IQ, his ability to make shots and to get the ball into the post will really help us this year."
J.R. Raymond is a sophomore point guard who was an academic partial qualifier as a freshman last year. He couldn't play in games, but practiced with the team until undergoing arthoscopy on his left ankle in January. The Sooner coaching staff was impressed with his play and expects big things from the 6-2 Gastonia, N.C., native.
Said Sampson, "There were some days last year when I would leave practice scratching my head and thinking, 'Wow, what if we had this kid this year?' J.R. combines athleticism with ball handling, scoring and a good basketball IQ. He's a real smart player and probably the most athletic point guard we've had. He has a chance to improve our talent level at the position through his ability to get by guys off the dribble, to defend and to make plays at the end of the shot clock."
Expected to make a big splash in his first year as a Sooner will be junior college transfer Nolan Johnson. The 6-4, 215-pound, left-handed guard signed with OU out of Kilgore (Texas) Junior College in April 1998, but finished his academic requirements last year at Garden City (Kan.) Community College. As a sophomore at Kilgore, Johnson was a second-team All-American when he averaged 19.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.9 steals.
"Nolan can play either wing position," said Sampson. "He's a barrel-chested guard who will put the ball on the floor and get by the defender. He'll create shots for himself and for other people, and will break the defense down and get to the basket. He's more of a scorer than a shooter. One of my concerns, though, is how he'll play after a year of inactivity."
Fellow newcomers Jarrett Hart and Hollis Price also have the staff excited about their arrival on campus. Both freshmen were named MVP of their state tournaments last spring after guiding their teams to state crowns.
Hart, 6-3 and 205 pounds, averaged 17.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists per contest for Little Rock (Ark.) Central High School. Another left-hander, he led his squad to a 29-3 record and No. 17 ranking in the final USA Today high school poll.
Said Sampson of Hart, "I love him. He's a big-time player, person and student. He's got the whole package and just has basketball player written all over him. He'll come in here this year and immediately make his presence felt. He could start at any of our three positions on the perimeter."
Price is a 6-1 point guard from St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, La. The New Orleans Metro Player of the Year led his AAU team to the 17-under national title last summer and was the tournament MVP. Widely regarded as one of the 50 best high school seniors last year, he is expected to see significant playing time as a true freshman this season.
"Hollis Price is a winner," said Sampson. "All he does is beat you. He's quick, explosive off the dribble and shoots and scores it. He's an overall good guard who can play the point or the two. If you ask him what position he plays, he'll tell you he's a basketball player. He'll compete next year for one of the two starting guard positions."
Another backcourt member is sophomore walk-on Michael Cano. The point guard saw limited action in eight games last year but developed into a strong practice player.
"Michael Cano embodies everything I look for in a walk-on. He's a great person, great student. He comes to practice every day and pushes our starters. He was an all-district player in high school in San Antonio, so he can play. We look for him to show steady improvement and ultimately be the point guard on our 'white' practice team."
Frontcourt
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| Eduardo Najera |
"Eduardo is a special player because he's a special person," noted Sampson. "Special people last. I've been with Eduardo for four years now, and he's as good and special of a person as I've ever been around. People across the country found out how good of a player he is last year during the NCAA Tournament.
"Eduardo has made unbelievable strides since he arrived at OU," Sampson continued. "He's more comfortable and one of the keys to his success is that he knows what to expect. He's always successful when he focuses on something."
The Sooners also welcome back the services of two 6-10, 255-pound senior centers. Renzi Stone started 18 games last year and averaged 3.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 19.5 minutes per game. His .531 field goal percentage led the squad.
"Renzi is extremely valuable," said Sampson. "All Renzi does is help us win. He had some outstanding games for us last year, but the thing we need from him is more consistency. We're really going to depend on him in our post. That's not to say he'll average 20 points a game because that's not his role. But as far as intangibles and little things, there's a place for people like Renzi at the next level."
Battling Stone for the starting center spot will be Victor Avila. From Mexico, he averaged 3.3 points and 3.0 boards in 9.0 minutes per game last year. When projected to 40 minutes, those numbers jump to 14.7 points and 13.3 caroms per game.
"Victor's got to become more solid and dependable," commented Sampson, "and he can do it. His points-per-minute and rebounds-per-minute figures last year were very impressive. Now he has to step up every day and become a dependable practice player so he can develop into a more dependable game player."
OU's third center is 7-2, 235-pound Oleg Reztsov, the tallest player in school history. He saw limited action in nine games last year, but Sampson thinks the Ukraine native might contribute more this season.
"Oleg's a kid who, going into last September and October, had a chance to be a factor for us. But he got mononucleosis and sprained his ankle and was never really heard from again. We're issuing a challenge to Oleg to get in the weight room, work on his game and be a factor this year."
Power forward Jameel Heywood, a 6-6, 230-pound transfer from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, averaged 17.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game a year ago. He could serve as Najera's back-up this season, but according to Sampson, might also find a spot in the starting lineup.
"Jameel's got a great attitude -- he's the ultimate team player. When you talk about role players and kids who go in and do what it takes, that's the kind of player Jameel is. We expect him to be a major contributor in his role. He can do a lot of different things. He might play with Eduardo, might back him up and he could start. As we get into practice and move into November, his role will be more defined."
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