Gophers hope it's time for Act III from inconsistent Ralph Sampson
Sampson has been up, then down. Gophers hope he'll re-emerge.
By Marcus R. Fuller
[email protected]
Updated: 12/08/2010 12:28:57 AM CST
For the first four games this season, Ralph Sampson III was playing like a new version of himself, like the game-changing center that the University of Minnesota always hoped he would be.
Then in the past four games, the 6-foot-11 junior went back to his old self, the inconsistent performer he was for his first two seasons with the No. 22-ranked Gophers (7-1), who play tonight against St. Joseph's (3-4) in Philadelphia.
Gophers coach Tubby Smith said Sampson, who is averaging 11.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a game, is going to have to "play harder" and "play smarter" and stay out of foul trouble to get back on track.
"I can't do that for him," Smith said. "He's going to have to do that for himself."
Not exactly.
Sampson's dad, Ralph Sampson Jr., a former NBA all-star and college player of the year at Virginia, tried to help him. Teammates continued to express confidence in the younger Sampson, even though he had a total of just 13 points during a three-game stretch that included an 87-79 loss to Virginia last week.
Before the game, the elder Sampson said, "If he works hard, the sky's the limit," referring to his son's NBA potential.
But Sampson had just two points and four fouls with his 7-foot-4 dad watching in the Williams Arena crowd.
After that disappointing performance, he and his father spent time analyzing why Sampson wasn't playing more consistently. They had worked throughout the summer on being more aggressive,
but Sampson was regressing to his passive self again.
"I think it took my dad coming back up here and to kind of refresh my mind," he said. "My dad said I was carrying my frustrations into the next game. So him coming up, watching film and breaking stuff down about the game helped."
Sampson also realized he was thinking too much on the court when he struggled: thinking about his different post moves, thinking about missing a free throw or thinking about why Smith was staring or shouting at him from the bench.
"In my high-point games, I get the ball and just make a move off of pure instinct," Sampson said. "I feel a lot better playing like that."
The Georgia native showed the Gophers he was different in a season-opening win over Wofford with 20 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Then he had a career-best 22 points and seven blocks to open the Puerto Rico Tip-Off against Western Kentucky last month. But the three-game slump started when he had two points and four fouls in the championship game against West Virginia in San Juan.
The Gophers have several scoring options inside, unlike the past two seasons. For a while it was basically Sampson and Colton Iverson. But now it's Iverson (7.4 points), fellow junior Trevor Mbakwe (14 points) and freshman Mo Walker (2.6 points).
Sometimes Sampson gets lost in the flow of the game, because he goes through long stretches without getting the ball in the post. But he might be turning a corner again. He scored 13 points in Saturday's win over Cornell, which included finishing the game with an emphatic two-handed dunk.
"You might have less touches ... because other people are (playing well)," said Sampson, who shot 4 for 14 from the field during his three games scoring below double figures. "Just learning how to play with that is just another obstacle you have to deal with and be comfortable with."
In 2008, Smith landed his first two four-star recruits to Minnesota in Sampson and Canadian guard Devoe Joseph. After two seasons, Sampson and Joseph still have not reached their potential and aren't carrying the team as they were expected to.
But Joseph, who should get his first start tonight since returning from a suspension two games ago, said Sampson was close to making that next step.
"I think we all need to come out and play more consistently," he said. "I know Ralph is capable of that. We came in together. I knew him from since we were in high school. He's capable of many more big games."
Briefly: Smith said the team was healthy, but senior point guard Al Nolen is still out with a foot injury. Sophomore Rodney Williams, who had been bothered by an ankle sprain, is at full strength and could start for the first time in two games.
http://www.twincities.com/gophers/ci_16802218?nclick_check=1
Sampson has been up, then down. Gophers hope he'll re-emerge.
By Marcus R. Fuller
[email protected]
Updated: 12/08/2010 12:28:57 AM CST
For the first four games this season, Ralph Sampson III was playing like a new version of himself, like the game-changing center that the University of Minnesota always hoped he would be.
Then in the past four games, the 6-foot-11 junior went back to his old self, the inconsistent performer he was for his first two seasons with the No. 22-ranked Gophers (7-1), who play tonight against St. Joseph's (3-4) in Philadelphia.
Gophers coach Tubby Smith said Sampson, who is averaging 11.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a game, is going to have to "play harder" and "play smarter" and stay out of foul trouble to get back on track.
"I can't do that for him," Smith said. "He's going to have to do that for himself."
Not exactly.
Sampson's dad, Ralph Sampson Jr., a former NBA all-star and college player of the year at Virginia, tried to help him. Teammates continued to express confidence in the younger Sampson, even though he had a total of just 13 points during a three-game stretch that included an 87-79 loss to Virginia last week.
Before the game, the elder Sampson said, "If he works hard, the sky's the limit," referring to his son's NBA potential.
But Sampson had just two points and four fouls with his 7-foot-4 dad watching in the Williams Arena crowd.
After that disappointing performance, he and his father spent time analyzing why Sampson wasn't playing more consistently. They had worked throughout the summer on being more aggressive,
but Sampson was regressing to his passive self again.
"I think it took my dad coming back up here and to kind of refresh my mind," he said. "My dad said I was carrying my frustrations into the next game. So him coming up, watching film and breaking stuff down about the game helped."
Sampson also realized he was thinking too much on the court when he struggled: thinking about his different post moves, thinking about missing a free throw or thinking about why Smith was staring or shouting at him from the bench.
"In my high-point games, I get the ball and just make a move off of pure instinct," Sampson said. "I feel a lot better playing like that."
The Georgia native showed the Gophers he was different in a season-opening win over Wofford with 20 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Then he had a career-best 22 points and seven blocks to open the Puerto Rico Tip-Off against Western Kentucky last month. But the three-game slump started when he had two points and four fouls in the championship game against West Virginia in San Juan.
The Gophers have several scoring options inside, unlike the past two seasons. For a while it was basically Sampson and Colton Iverson. But now it's Iverson (7.4 points), fellow junior Trevor Mbakwe (14 points) and freshman Mo Walker (2.6 points).
Sometimes Sampson gets lost in the flow of the game, because he goes through long stretches without getting the ball in the post. But he might be turning a corner again. He scored 13 points in Saturday's win over Cornell, which included finishing the game with an emphatic two-handed dunk.
"You might have less touches ... because other people are (playing well)," said Sampson, who shot 4 for 14 from the field during his three games scoring below double figures. "Just learning how to play with that is just another obstacle you have to deal with and be comfortable with."
In 2008, Smith landed his first two four-star recruits to Minnesota in Sampson and Canadian guard Devoe Joseph. After two seasons, Sampson and Joseph still have not reached their potential and aren't carrying the team as they were expected to.
But Joseph, who should get his first start tonight since returning from a suspension two games ago, said Sampson was close to making that next step.
"I think we all need to come out and play more consistently," he said. "I know Ralph is capable of that. We came in together. I knew him from since we were in high school. He's capable of many more big games."
Briefly: Smith said the team was healthy, but senior point guard Al Nolen is still out with a foot injury. Sophomore Rodney Williams, who had been bothered by an ankle sprain, is at full strength and could start for the first time in two games.
http://www.twincities.com/gophers/ci_16802218?nclick_check=1
