OU Men's Basketball: Back For More Final Four

July 31, 2002

by Mike Houck

NORMAN, Okla. - When it comes to coaching college basketball, Kelvin Sampson is rarely satisfied. And last year was no exception. Sure, the longtime Oklahoma mentor was exceptionally pleased with his team's 31-5 record, its second consecutive Big 12 Tournament title and the school's fourth Final Four appearance. And he took great pride in receiving multiple national coach-of-the-year awards after his team's memorable postseason run.

In fact, Sampson, who begins his ninth year at Oklahoma, has enjoyed success throughout his career and has led eight straight OU teams to the NCAA Tournament. But, in his eyes, last season ended prematurely - he wanted a crack at Monday night in Atlanta and the national championship game. Fortunately for him, another opportunity awaits. Sampson has assembled a cast of characters that, with his direction, just might bring home that coveted national crown.

Whether the Sooners will be successful in their quest for the Sears Trophy, one thing is certain. Last year's achievements have fueled their desire to take that next step.

"Sometimes adversity creates men out of us. But sometimes prosperity can create a monster," reasoned Sampson. "I think getting to the Final Four has made our kids hungry. I've noticed an intensity about our kids that's been really pleasing to me. Almost every kid who is on our roster was here for the entire month of June. They're lifting, they're playing and they're pushing each other. I think the confidence we gained from the tournament run is pushing us and motivating us to do even greater things."

BACKCOURT
Leading perhaps the nation's premier backcourt in the charge to New Orleans and the Final Four will be a pair of New Orleans natives. All-America candidate Hollis Price and point guard Quannas White teamed to lead their high school squad to the 1999 Louisiana 5A state title during their senior year. The duo wants this senior season to be even more fruitful than their previous senior campaign.

Price, the team's leading scorer (16.5 ppg) and top steals man (1.7 spg) last year, is one of Sampson's all-time favorite players. Tough as nails for a 170-pounder, the 6-1 Price made 84 three-pointers last year (2.4 per game), ranked fourth in the Big 12 with his .838 free throw mark and averaged 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He was a first-team All-Big 12 selection, a third-team All-American by The Sporting News, a member of the Big 12 All-Defense Team, and was named the Big 12 Tournament and NCAA West Regional MVP.

"To me, he's our heart and soul," Sampson said of the diminutive Price. "Hollis embodies what we want in a Sooner basketball player. The way he practices, the way he carries himself off the court, the way he performs in the classroom, his effort and his pride are impressive. There are very few things in the future that I dread, but I can honestly tell you that I'm really, really dreading senior night. I'm going to really enjoy every minute I'm with Hollis this year because I don't know when I'll get another one like him."

Senior Hollis Price

Price will be less active this summer than he'd prefer due to right ankle surgery in early June. In addition to repairing a torn tendon, doctors also removed a calcium deposit. Price is expected to be back in action by late August.

White, Price's roommate, played a major role in the Sooners' success last season. After transferring from junior college, White started 33 games at the point and averaged 7.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and a team-high 4.7 assists per outing. He shot .408 from beyond the three-point arc (.459 in Big 12 games) and sported a healthy 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio (2.9 in league games). A member of the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team, White was also named to the NCAA All-West Region Team. His size - he's 6-1 and weighs 195 pounds - makes him extremely effective, especially in the lane. He is also the team's best on-ball defender.

Said Sampson, "Quannas' greatest strength as a point guard is that he doesn't think anyone can beat him. He has unbelievable personal pride. He doesn't back down. He'll tell you his record against all the great point guards. And he'll say, 'Coach, the only stat that matters to me is the scoreboard.' And that's music to my ears."

Wing Ebi Ere, a solid contributor the bulk of last season, has a chance to take off as a senior. The 6-5, 215-pound former juco All-American can score inside or out and has a knack for making off-balance shots. He averaged 14.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steal per outing en route to being named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. Ere was named league rookie of the week three times and was an honorable mention all-conference selection. One of the best rebounding guards in the country, he grabbed at least seven boards on 16 occasions.

"Ebi's a joy to coach," noted Sampson. "He's a great kid, an outstanding offensive player. I think he can take a step up and be a first-team all-conference player this year. I think he can be one of the better wings in the country because he can score the ball in so many ways."

Like Ere, 6-5 senior wing Jason Detrick was an All-American in junior college two years ago. In action mostly off the bench last season, the Big 12 All-Reserve Team pick averaged 9.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 20.9 minutes per game. He shot .820 from the foul line but just .399 from the field and .272 from three-point territory. Detrick battled ankle injuries throughout the season and is looking forward to a healthy 2002-03 campaign.

"Sometimes adversity creates men out of us. But sometimes prosperity can create a monster."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Men's Basketball: Back For More Final Four

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