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Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Sampson a big reminder of famous father
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
He has the look of his dad, and not just in height. The thick eyebrows. The narrow shoulders. The No. 50 on his back. Yes, Ralph Sampson III is a chip off the old lamp post.
It does not stop there, however. The young Sampson — Northview’s 6-foot-10 junior — has a game that cannot help but remind one of his dad, who was perhaps the most fervently recruited high school player of all time.
At 7 feet 4 with a wingspan that seemed to stretch the width of the court, the elder Sampson was a three-time college National Player of the Year at the University of Virginia and had a nine-year NBA career that started smartly but was undone by knee troubles.
Barring a quantum growth in his skills, the younger son will be less ballyhooed than his dad. But then, who is not? Still, colleges have been blowing up his phone with the hope/expectation that his talent and genes will produce another giant star.
Tuesday night was Sampson III’s moment of arrival. Against perhaps the state’s best big man, Wheeler’s J.J. Hickson, Sampson had an affirming performance. It was not so much the 22 points he scored, but more than that, he was unfazed by the challenge of going up against the talented Hickson.
“He’s very physical,” Sampson said afterward. “Great player. It was a good test for me.”
A test his father deemed a success. Watching from his standard seat on the baseline, it was almost as if Sampson’s chest expanded with every play his son made.
“I love to see him play,” he said. “Having been there, I know what it’s like to enjoy high school basketball. But what he did tonight, it shows the development of his skills. He can be one of the best big men in the country.”
Indeed, Sampson made a strong account of himself, as did coach Steve Bombard, who took over about a month ago after the coach quit. Bombard showed admirable acumen in utilizing his talent and timeouts and in devising keen strategy. He was as much the reason Northview hung in with Wheeler as anyone — and the Titans could have won had Sampson’s hurried 3-pointer at the buzzer fallen.
Yes, Sampson is his father’s child, a behemoth with skills of smaller men.
Daddy Sampson both amazed and aggravated with his desire to play some sort of point forward and, to a lesser degree, point guard at his towering height.
“In today’s game, you have to do both,” Bombard said. “And Ralph works very hard on his shooting.”
So hard, the father said he has to pull his son out of the gym. “He loves to play and has a great desire to get better,” dad said. “His dedication to the game is there.”
You have to like this about the Sampson kid: Nothing seems to faze him.
After Hickson dunked over him on the baseline, Sampson responded immediately with a 3-point jump shot over Hickson. When he missed a dunk on one end, Sampson hustled back for a spectacular block on the other.
In between, he dunked off an alley-oop pass, was a reliable outlet against Wheeler’s vaunted press and generally showed a strong understanding of the game.
At home recovering from a cold was Sampson III’s little brother, Robert, a 6-foot-5 left-handed-shooting ninth-grader with a tough disposition. “To have a daughter at Stanford [Rachel] making all A’s and two sons playing ball, it’s just great for me,” Sampson said. “I’m having a blast. And so are they. It should be a fun run for all of us.”
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Curtis Bunn
GSWA Basketball Poll: Feb. 6
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Greater Atlanta Christian girls team finally wrestled the top spot in the poll from Avondale with its win over the second-ranked Blue Devils last week.
This will make for an interesting Region 6-AA tournament with No. 6 Wesleyan still posing a threat. GAC was the only team to take over a top spot in the poll.
Fayette County boys played well while leading scorer Noel Johnson was out nursing an ankle injury. With his return, the Tigers have kicked it up a notch.
Johnson, one of the top sophomores in the country, has averaged 24.6 points over the last five games as the No. 6 Tigers are contending for the Region 2-AAAA championship.
It seems Whitefield Academy is peaking at the right time. Saturday’s 71-39 win over defending Class A champions Southwest Atlanta Christian was definitely an attention grabber.
Who’s hot, who’s not - you tell us. Submit your comments below.
Georgia Sportswriters Association Basketball Poll
BOYS
CLASS AAAAA
1.Norcross
2.Meadowcreek
3.Beach
4.Peachtree Ridge
5.Wheeler
6.McEachern
7.Marietta
8.Centennial
9.Tri-Cities
10.Johnson-Savannah
AAAA
1.Columbia
2.Cedar Shoals
3.Tucker
4.Cherokee
5.Lithia Springs
6.Fayette County
7.Stone Mountain
8.Stockbridge
9.Westlake
10.Riverdale
AAA
1.Dunwoody
2.East Hall
3.Southside
4.Carver-Columbus
5.Jordan
6.Northside-Columbus
7.South Atlanta
8.Glenn Hills
9.Westover
10.Northeast Macon
AA
1.Thomasville
2.Buford
3.Swainsboro
4.Randolph-Clay
5.Coosa
6.Decatur
7.Darlington
8.Manchester
9.Wesleyan
10.Dodge County
A
1.Wilkinson County
2.Whitefield Academy
3.Calvary Day
4.Turner County
5.St. Francis
6.SW Atlanta Christian
7.Taylor County
8.Jefferson
9.Providence Christian
10.Hancock Central
GIRLS
AAAAA
1.Collins Hill
2.Stephenson
3.South Gwinnett
4.Mill Creek
5.Campbell
6.Etowah
7.Marietta
8.Morrow
9.Beach
10.Berkmar
AAAA
1.St. Pius
2.Greenbrier
3.Northside-Warner Robins
4.Marist
5.Clarke Central
6.Mays
7.Westlake
8.North Clayton
9.Dalton
10.(tie) Salem, SW DeKalb and Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe
AAA
1.Southwest Macon
2.Carrollton
3.Kendrick
4.Hephzibah
5.East Hall
6.Hardaway
7.Towers
8.Worth County
9.Sandy Creek
10.Franklin County
AA
1.Greater Atlanta Christian
2.Avondale
3.Randolph-Clay
4.McIntosh County Academy
5.Laney
6.Wesleyan
7.Rutland
8.Dodge County
9.Armuchee
10.Screven County
A
1.Landmark Christian
2.(tie) Calvary Day, Bowdon
4.SW Atlanta Christian
5.Hancock Central
6.Treutlen
7.Calhoun County
8.Hebron Christian
9.Hawkinsville
10.St. Francis
Note: This list compiled by Derrick Mahone each week from GSWA voting results
With many of the ranked teams meeting this week, there is bound to be a big shakeup in next week’s rankings. What’s your take on this week’s poll? Who is being overlooked? Who shouldn’t be here at all? Who’s got game? Who’s got lame? Hoops talk starts now.
Permalink | Comments (35) | Post your comment | Categories: Basketball rankings
Girls: Tourney Time
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Region tournaments start next week. And whether we like it or not, one game can make or break an entire season.
This is what we know: Collins Hill, Mill Creek, South Gwinnett, GAC, Wesleyan, Hebron and Providence look like shoo-ins to make state.
But what about the rest?
Will Berkmar and Duluth end their 31-year state droughts?
Will Brookwood make it for the third straight year? Will Central Gwinnett return after a one-year absence?
Can North Gwinnett, Peachtree Ridge, or even Norcross crash the party?
Let me know your predictions.
Permalink | Comments (18) | Post your comment | Categories: Gwinnett Hoops
