Category: Gophers Basketball

 

Ralph Sampson III is in the final months of his college basketball career but the Gophers 6-11 senior center appears no closer to fulfilling his potential now than when he was a freshman.

A gifted athlete and the son of former college Player of the Year Ralph Sampson II, the younger Sampson has compiled similar stats and performed inconsistently this season as in the past.  Tonight the Gophers play at Iowa—halfway through their Big Ten regular season schedule—and Minnesota fans wonder what contributions Sampson will make to a Minnesota team (4-5 in conference games, 16-6 overall) that could qualify for the NCAA tournament with a strong finish in February and March.

Last Saturday night, with his dad in town to watch him, Sampson played only 20 minutes before fouling out in Minnesota’s game against Illinois at Williams Arena.  He had three rebounds and five points while making two of eight shots.

That performance contrasted with Minnesota’s game at Illinois in late December when the Duluth, Georgia native scored 22 points and had nine rebounds in 35 minutes on the floor.

During Sampson’s first three seasons he shared playing time with center Colton Iverson and with Iverson having transferred after his junior season last spring it was expected that Sampson’s minutes and contributions would increase.  But he’s averaging 22.9 minutes per game, the fewest since his freshman season.  His scoring average of 8.2 points and rebounds of 4.8 per game this season are almost identical to career stats of 8.2 and 5.1.

Sampson’s lack of aggressiveness has limited his success and frustrated fans who often target him for criticism.  His dad was asked if Sampson can play more assertively for coach Tubby Smith.

“I know he is (capable),” Ralph II said.  “I’ve worked with the kid for all my life.  It’s just how do you do that?  How do you do that with the system and don’t break the system?  Tubby has that system where five guys play five minutes, and five guys play the next five minutes.  That’s a little different. …”

Sampson’s dad, who at 7-4 was a four-time All-American at Virginia, said ample minutes on the floor allow big body players to have a feel for the game, becoming more comfortable with themselves, teammates and opponents.  What’s evident, though, is the younger Sampson isn’t earning a lot of extra minutes in the Smith system and he doesn’t look like a player enjoying his time on the floor.

Does fan criticism bother the Gophers center?  Ralph II said fans should consider that unlike Iverson and guard Devoe Joseph, his son didn’t transfer from Minnesota.  Ralph III is the only player remaining from his freshman class at Minnesota.  “…You didn’t transfer like everybody else did and you stuck it out,” Ralph II said.  “I think they should appreciate that.”

Sampson said his son thought about transferring from Minnesota to another school.  “Every year, like everybody else,” Ralph II said.  “First year to this year.  I wouldn’t let him leave.  We started it, we’re gonna finish it.”

The Gophers’ team potential the last two seasons has lessened because of several players leaving the program.  The departed include forward Royce White who has become an All-American candidate at Iowa State in his first season.  Joseph is Oregon’s leading scorer at 15.4 points.

“The question is why did they leave?” Ralph II asked.  “What was going on that made them leave and wanted to leave?  I am not going to get into a lot of details with it because I don’t know the internal things about it. …”

What the older Sampson knows is he believes in his son’s potential to become a better player.  He acknowledges, too, that Ralph III is a young man of character who has never given his father problems.  “He’s a great kid,” Ralph II said. “He’s the best in the world.  The sky’s the limit if he wants to work at it.”

1 comment

 

How real are Tubby Smith’s revitalized Gophers?  Before the clock strikes midnight tonight the college basketball world will have an answer.

After opening the Big Ten season with four losses by a combined 29 points, the Gophers have won three straight including two games on the road.  Minnesota defeated No. 7 ranked Indiana in Bloomington, beat Penn State by 14 points in State College and last Sunday took apart Northwestern, 75-52 at Williams Arena.

No. 10 ranked Michigan State will offer the Gophers more than a cushy pop quiz tonight.  The Spartans, 16-4 overall and 5-2 in the conference, could stop Minnesota’s momentum inEast Lansing.

The guess here is the Spartans will win but somehow coach Tom Izzo’s team managed to lose at Northwestern (2-5) by seven points and more understandably lost by one at nationally ranked Michigan (5-2).  The conference schedule isn’t even halfway over and already every team in the league has at least two losses and two wins.

The Spartans are among the favorites to win the Big Ten title but the Gophers have a revised lineup that has been a foundation for their winning streak.  Beginning with the Indiana game Smith assigned Julian Welch to point guard and Joe Coleman to one of the team’s two shooting guard spots.  Maverick Ahanmisi, who had been starting at point guard, was benched.  Coleman took Welch’s position at off-guard, while center Ralph Sampson III, power forward Rodney Williams and guard Austin Hollins remained starters.

Neither Ahanmisi, a sophomore, nor freshman Andre Hollins had shown they were effective as Big Ten point guards.  Welch played point guard as a junior college player last season.  His experience, strength and court awareness are superior to his two teammates.

Welch has scored 29 points for the Gophers in the three wins.  He provides stability handling the ball and had five assists in the Northwestern game.  “I love to create for my teammates and see them put the ball in the hoop,” he said.

Coleman has been a catalyst, according to Smith.  “We’ve added some toughness to our lineup when we inserted Joe Coleman,” Smith said.  “It’s been huge for us.  I think it’s been contagious.  Ralph is more aggressive.  Rodney has been more aggressive taking the ball to the basket.  So I think our entire team has certainly benefitted.”

Coleman was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week last week after averaging 15.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in the Indiana and Penn State wins.  Against Northwestern he had 16 points and five rebounds.

If Welch, Coleman and their teammates produce a win tonight, it could indicate that despite the slow start this team intends to have plenty to say about the Big Ten race all the way to the end.

Comments Welcome