All Entries Tagged With: "Samardo Samuels"
Samuels Invisible During NBA Draft
Any kid picked late in the pecking order for a game on the playground can identify with Samardo Samuels’ plight during the NBA draft.
One does everything possible to get noticed during the selection process. But for all practical purposes you are invisible. The captains are incapable of recognizing your considerable talents, the proven track record, the physical gifts, the vast potential.
Once upon a time, Samuels was among the top three college prospects by every analyst. But when this draft is over, he’s still waiting for his name to be called.
All alone.
Now the former University of Louisville basketball player is off to see the world, taking those talents to who knows where.
Samuels’ Stock May Be Rising, Maybe
Gotta carefully consider the source.
Remember when word came out of Jamaica that Samardo Samuels would be leaving the University of Louisville basketball team early to pursue a career in the National Basketball Association? Despite all advice to the contrary from his coaches or anyone who see him play the past two seasons?
Well, there’s an update from the island, from the Jamaica Gleaner News that Samuels’ stock may have risen dramatically during NBA workouts, according to a source close to the player:
“Samardo is showing that he has all the tools. In his workouts he shot phenomenally from the field and displayed adept basketball skills, qualities about him that were not widely known before.
“He is also hitting a lot of three-pointers, and the feedback we are getting is that in terms of shape, size and skill readiness for the NBA, he is one the most impressive.”
“He is moving like a guard while maintaining his post-up game. He is being described as similar to Carlos Boozer and Elton Brand, but with better ball-handling skills — a more dynamic player. Because of his skills and first step he is uncomfortable to handle for both the big guys and the smaller guys.”
One still wishes Samardo well but he was either keeping this arsenal of skills under wraps at U of L or someone was telling the reporter what he wanted to hear.
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McCoughtry On A Tear — Angel McCoughtry is leading the WNBA in scoring and is an early candidate for player of the year. She is averaging 24 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. Her surprising Atlanta Dream team leads the Eastern Division with a 6-0 record.
Atlanta faces maybe the toughest test of the season when it takes on the 5-1 Seattle Storm. Game time is 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night on ESPN-2. A great chance to finish up that remaining potato salad, ambrosia and grilled chicken from Sunday.
Louisville Under Exceeds Expectations
What … ?
You expected more from this Louisville basketball team in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Expected players to emerge from a season-long mediocrity, represent the name on the uniform, make a surprising run.
Nice dream. The wishful thinking clashed with reality quickly, California getting off to a 22-4 start. Rick Pitino’s team making some runs, getting within four a few times, but losing more impetus every trip down the court.
Everybody that is except Rakeem Buckles, with unbridled bundles of energy, never seeming to tire. Just when he seems unstoppable and U of L is within reach, Buckles is pulled to the bench. All signs of offense going with him.
- All the effort aimed at getting the ball in the middle to Samardo Samuels is wasted if he’s having still another off night. He ends the season where he began, having trouble catching the ball, posting up on anyone near his size, unable to make a decent pass, getting pushed around.
- Edgar Sosa getting three fouls early, the look creeping back on his face, too easily letting doubt control his game, something he will have to live with for a long time.
- Jerry Smith not really back from the hand injury, his shooting obviously still affected, even the clunker that rolled in off the back of the rim. He will largely be remembered for scoring 23 points in his first game as a freshman, hitting a three-point winner at Marquette, and scoring the first eight points in the second win over Syracuse.
- Reginald Delk didn’t receive enough exposure to really create much of an impression. A few three-pointers here and there, a few memorable defensive stops. Gone already.
- Terrence Jennings is going to bite his tongue off some game chewing that gum. Maybe it affects his thinking.
- Jared Swopshire should fatten up over the summer, eat mashed potatoes and gravy five meals a day, become the significant factor the analysts keep telling us he will become. But he should always be hungry, playing with a sense of urgency once in a while.
Rick PItino talked a lot about youthfulness on a team that started three seniors in the final game. Sometimes he outsmarts himself. He will have a few months to get back to a few basics.
Mind Games For Louisville Basketball Fans
And so it has begun, this NCAA basketball tournament.
The question is how far the University of Louisville basketball team will advance for some. For others, how quickly the season will come to an end. The wildly-optimistic fan believes anything is possible. The objective observer afraid the tournament may be over too soon.
The Fan
- The avid fan sees U of L competing aggressively with such teams as Pittsburgh and West Virginia, only for them to lose on controversial officiating calls. He also sees them jumping out to big first-half leads over Georgetown and Villanova, the leads fizzling in the second half. He writes off the St. John’s and Marquette debacles as aberrations.
- The fan’s belief that anything is possible is confirmed with two impressive wins over Syracuse, one of the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament. He’s also familiar with Rick Pitino’s past, his proven ability to have teams performing above their ability during March — the 21-point comeback win against West Virginia in 2005 a prime example.
Observer
- The observer recalls the frustration, even during a double-overtime win against Notre Dame. The Irish, playing without their leading scorer, guards able to drive with ease past U of L defenders time after time. Nothing Louisville guards could do to stop them. Notre Dame, fouling out four backup defenders trying to stop Samardo Samuels, but still pushing U of L to the wire.
- He watches Samuels all but disappear over the last six games, sees Edgar Sosa get hot but unable to find teammates or hit free throws when they count, and groans while Preston Knowles is missing one out of 12 three-point attempts while committing inexplicable turnovers.
- He also sees Terrence Jennings relegated time after time to irrelevancy. Wonders why Peyton Siva, the quickest and most talented guard, never gets enough playing time to get past his freshman mistakes. He blasphemes fate for sidelining Jerry Smith, looking like the old Jerry Smith before his injury in the second Syracuse game.
The long-time fan and the hardened observer will continue to battle each other internally, each having ample evidence to support their conclusions — anything possible vs. quick exit.
Come tip-off time Friday, however, the fan will be in charge, eschewing any negativity, expecting his team to live up to expectations for U of L basketball.
The concerned observer will be nowhere to be found as long as Louisville is still in the hunt.
Louisville Deals Setback To U-Calhoun
Any time less than five points separate two Big East teams with four minutes to go, anything can happen, positive or negative, anything but passive.
Fans lose all sense of control, forced to accept whatever fate chooses to throw in their collective lap that day. The frantic finishes are so wild, so unpredictable and so commonplace no one is shocked or surprised by any outcome.
Edgar Sosa, with all his ups and downs, indicating the game will be in his hands. At 29 seconds, it is obvious: He will make the move, and he does with 11 seconds to go.
UConn playing its best basketball of the season since the return of Jim Calhoun, looking good winning its last three games, ready to exact revenge, senior night, pumped, having its way, drumming Louisville 39-26 late in the first half.
But wait. One knows what happens more often than not in Louisville games. The team with the lead eases up a bit, the team behind turns on the defensive pressure. A couple of unexpected three-pointers from a surprising source, a turnover or two, and a bank shot at the halftime buzzer and Rick Pitino’s team trails by only five points.
Game on again, despite having thrown in the proverbial tower at the big screen just a few minutes earlier, having perceived no chance, no prayer of surviving the UConn onslaught.
Fast forward to midway in the second half, Louisville leading by six points at some point, knowing all the while the game will be decided at the horn.
Edgar Sosa, with all his ups and downs, indicating the game will be in his hands. At 29 seconds, it is obvious: He will make the move, and he does with 11 seconds to go. Running the gauntlet with all the swiping hands beneath the basket. Throwing up a shot between all the bodies and outstretched hands. Swish.
Too early, eight seconds left. Kemba Walker, with 28 points from all kinds of shots, with the ball, making the mad dash. Hello, Kemba, I’m Samardo Samuels, get that thing out of here. Hey ball, I’m Preston Knowles, boom, get out of here.
Louisville wins 78-76. Back in the NCAA tournament chase for a couple of days.
The one thing certain is the Louisville-Marquette game Tuesday will be decided on a buzzer beater.
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