Will Men's Basketball Team Be Sampson's Best Yet?

Sept. 5, 2001

NORMAN, Okla. - How does a team that finished 26-7 overall last year, ended the season ranked 13th nationally, won its conference tournament and earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament improve on its performance after losing three starters? According to University of Oklahoma head coach Kelvin Sampson, the lone answer is hard work. Of course a highly regarded recruiting class never hurts, but the eighth-year Sooner boss has never minced words when it comes to communicating to his players the importance of effort in the weight room and on the practice court. It's safe to say, then, that Sampson is pleased with the fact that 12 of the 14 players on the roster were in Norman this summer working out and getting a feel for each other in pick-up games.

Will the offseason work prove fruitful? The results remain to be seen, but Sampson can't help but sneak a smile when he thinks about the season ahead.

"Our goal this year is to improve," said Sampson, who has guided OU to a combined 53-14 (.791) record the past two years. "I think it gets harder to improve the higher you go, but it's fun to sit back and try. I can honestly say we have a chance to get better. And I think our best basketball is ahead of us. This team will only have two seniors who will play a lot in Aaron McGhee and Daryan Selvy. It's a young team but it's an exciting team. If I'm a fan at the University of Oklahoma, I'm getting really, really excited about watching this group. They're going to be fun to watch. This is a great group of kids that will compete its butt off and play its heart out. Who knows? We think we're going to be pretty good."

All told, Oklahoma returns five letterwinners and two redshirts from last year. Sampson also welcomes five newcomers who comprise a recruiting class that has been ranked among the nation's best. It's not the most experienced group of players in the world, but Sampson is high on their talent and impressed with their work ethic. He's counting on an eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance for the Sooners.

Junior guard Hollis Price led the Sooners in assists (4.7 apg), steals (1.9 spg) and minutes (33.2 mpg) last year while also averaging 11.8 points per outing.

Backcourt
Only one of OU's guards who is expected to see significant court time this season has played a minute of Division I basketball. That is junior Hollis Price. Price, a starter in all but one game last year, is recuperating from a torn triceps tendon sustained in OU's NCAA Tournament loss to Indiana State. He had three surgeries within 10 days of the injury and is close to being completely recovered. A healthy Price will be crucial for the Sooners to be successful. Last year he played 23 of his games at point guard and led the team in assists (4.7 apg), steals (1.9 spg) and minutes (33.2 mpg). He also averaged 11.8 points per game. This year, Sampson wants him to play on the wing.

"Defensively, Hollis can get out and deny the wing," reasoned Sampson. "Also, his quickness is a factor in transition. If we can get him up the court to receive the pass then we think we can put more pressure on the defense. We'd like Hollis to be able to get the pass and attack the rim. We think that'll get him to the free throw line more and it'll put more pressure on the defense to get back."

Sampson also said Price is ready to assume the role of team leader.

"I want Hollis to force himself on this team. We tell our kids that as a leader they'll invoke a response, either a negative one or a positive one. We want Hollis to get this team to get behind him and go."

The man responsible for getting the team up the court will be Price's high school teammate, Quannas White. White is a junior college transfer from Midland Community College who, according to Sampson, will have an advantage to start the year.

"The good thing about Quannas is that his team at Midland ran the same offense as us. He's been running this system for two years. He knows how to run our box stuff, our set plays and our 1-4."

Last year White, who is 6-1 and weighs 190 pounds, averaged 17.0 points and 5.0 assists per outing.

"He's got a good feel for the game and can score the ball better than you think," added Sampson. "He's a good three-point shooter, not a great one. But the thing I like is that he's a winner."

Two other junior college products will join the OU backcourt this year and both were All-Americans as sophomores. Jason Detrick and Ebi Ere are similar in stature and will be counted on to provide major scoring punch.

Detrick, 6-5 and 210 pounds, earned first-team All-America acclaim after averaging 23.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game for Southwest Missouri State-West Plains. He also set school records for deflections and charges taken last year.

Sampson said Detrick is a slasher and creator who likes to get to the basket and the foul line. The coach added, "He has a love affair with basketball. This kid is infatuated with the game. He's a gym rat. Like all junior college kids, he'll undergo an adjustment period. But we think he's going to be an outstanding wing for us."

Ere is 6-5 and 215 pounds and was a second-team All-American at Barton County Community College. The OU signee out of high school averaged 25.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocked shots last year and was a NJCAA all-tournament selection after averaging 32.3 points over four games. He scored 52 points against Southwest Tennessee in the tournament.

"I loved Ebi in high school," said Sampson. "But his improvement maturity wise and personality wise has been great. He's a much better player than he was in high school. He's way more mature and more physically developed. And he's got an air of confidence about him. Ebi Ere thinks he's pretty good."

Sampson said of the pair, "Ebi and Jason will be major factors for us all year. We're going to be really dependent on both of them to have big years. We need them both. Whether it's together or if one comes off the bench. I prefer to start Hollis because he's a returning veteran. But both these guys are capable of starting. That's why we brought them in here."

Redshirt-freshman Blake Johnston, who sat out last year with a respiratory condition, figures to see court time this year as a backup point guard. At 6-1 and 180, Johnston is an athletic, flashy playmaker who, according to Sampson, has really made strides with his shot.

Said the head coach, "Blake's one of those kids who will work to improve in the areas you challenge him. I'm anxious to see Blake compete against Hollis and Quannas on a daily basis to determine how far he's come. I know he's improved a lot. But he will still be just a freshman this year. He's still in a learning process. Blake is a kid who deciphers information very well and uses it to his benefit. I love his attitude, his grit and his toughness. Blake Johnston is going to help us win games."

Though he stands 6-9, freshman Matt Gipson's natural position is a wing. The slender 205-pounder can play all positions but the point, said Sampson. Gipson's potential has Sampson grinning from ear to ear. As a senior last year, Gipson averaged 23.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks while earning All-State honors at Burkburnett (Texas) High School.

"If he was a stock I'd call all my best friends and tell them to buy it because he's blue chip," commented Sampson. "I think he's going to be terrific. He has great size and good skills. Matt's a guard. He happens to be 6-9 with long arms and a long body. We may redshirt Matt or he may come in and beat someone out. He's got a big heart with a great attitude. He's a bright kid with an unbelievably bright future here."

Also members of the backcourt are seniors Michael Cano and Richard Ainooson. Cano totaled six points in eight games last year while Ainooson amassed five in seven contests. Sampson praises both for the intangibles they possess.

"We awarded Michael a scholarship when the season ended and I can't tell you how proud I am of him and the progress he's made," said Sampson. "Michael's a huge, huge part of our success. He really understands Sooner basketball, he's a leader and he cares. We expect his role to increase this year because he's a senior and a leader.

"The thing that I respect about Richard is that he sat out a year to improve his grades," continued Sampson. "We removed him from the team for a year because of his grade-point average. Now he's a management information systems major, meaning he's taking high-level computer and math classes. Now his GPA is over 3.0. He's a local kid from Midwest City and our kids absolutely love him. He's a positive influence to the team and, to me, he's what a walk-on should be."

Senior forward Daryan Selvy, OU's leading returning rebounder, has increased his vertical leap to 38 inches in the offseason.

Frontcourt
The OU frontcourt will feature several fresh faces, as well as an important new one. Sooner big men will be counted upon to play a larger collective role than last season when they accounted for just 37 percent of the team's points. Leading the way will be a pair of seniors.

Aaron McGhee is a 6-8, 250-pound left-handed forward who led the team in scoring most of last year. He wound up with 12.9 scoring and 4.8 rebounding averages to rank second and third on the squad. The former first-team juco All-American shot a solid .770 from the free throw line and led OU with a .489 three-point mark (22-for-45). Sampson is happy with McGhee's progress since March.

"Aaron stayed here when the season ended and went straight to work. Since then I think he's worked as hard as any of the returning players. We expect him to be one of our leading scorers, to rebound better and to defend better. I expect him to be a senior, and that means I expect consistency. I don't expect my seniors to be up and down. I expect them to be leaders and to be consistent."

Fellow senior Daryan Selvy led the team in rebounding last year with his 5.2 boards per game. The 6-6, 215-pound forward also averaged 6.9 points and tied for the team lead with 23 blocks despite averaging just 22 minutes per outing. Selvy came on strong toward the end of the year and is expected to play a major role from the get-go this season.

"At the end of the year I thought he was our best guy at creating shots for others," said Sampson of Selvy. "He would drive and kick it out to our guards for a lot of open three-pointers. He'll have a much bigger role this year in terms of scoring and being one of our primary players. He's really improved since the season ended. I want him to live on the edge more. I want him to play with abandonment. The more he plays like that the harder matchup he'll become."

Sophomore forward Johnnie Gilbert shined defensively and was a force on the glass last year as a true freshman. He played 16 minutes per game but managed to average 4.3 rebounds and record 23 blocked shots. Not recognized as a solid jump-shooter, Gilbert did register a .523 field goal percentage. Sampson raves about the 6-8 forward's defensive presence and says he has terrific potential.

"I think he's our best overall rebounder and our best overall shot-blocker coming back. And he's got a great attitude and plays hard. He's a kid who kind of lurks over here and you better watch out for him. It wouldn't surprise me if he's starting for us at the beginning of the year," said Sampson.

Center Jozsef Szendrei played in two games in December last year before redshirting the remainder of the season. The Hungary native, who stands 6-9 and weighs 240 pounds, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in April and is expected to be cleared to play very soon. Rebounding is his specialty.

"He's worked his butt off in that weight room and in rehab," said Sampson. "I think you're going to see a mentally tough, hungry Jozsef Szendrei. I think he's going to be a tremendous help for us. How much playing time he'll see depends on his recovery. Right now I would say he's our fifth post. But he's a kid who can move up."

Rounding out the frontcourt is newcomer Jabahri Brown, a talented 6-10, 210-pound center who played as a freshman at Florida International in 1999-2000. At FIU, Brown averaged 8.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots in 24 minutes per game. He scored 23 points and registered 17 rebounds, five steals and three blocks in his first collegiate game against Radford and also notched a 15-point, 17-rebound effort versus Fresno State. Brown, who hails from the U.S. Virgin Islands, won't be eligible until the conclusion of the fall semester, but Sampson is high on the lean post player.

"We're working with Jabahri on different ways for him to be effective," commented Sampson. "When the ball hits the rim and goes straight up he has as good a shot of getting it as anyone. He gives us something we haven't had since I've been here and that's an athletic big man on offense and defense. And he'll run the floor as well as any of our guys. Jabahri's upside is high, he has a high ceiling above him."

Brown showcased his skills at the recently completed World University Games in China. Playing for the Virgin Islands, Brown averaged 7.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.6 blocked shots and 1.6 steals per game in helping his team to a 6-2 record. His best statistical performance was a 15-point, 11-rebound, 4-block effort against Nigeria.

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Will Men's Basketball Team Be Sampson's Best Yet?

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