1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 1: It is thirty two on the Matt Thomas Show with Ross. 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:06,559 I'm here in New York City call the Rockets and 3 00:00:06,599 --> 00:00:10,800 the Knicks tomorrow nights. If you are a basketball junkie, 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,679 you're going to want to watch the Rockets at night time. 5 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:15,400 But during the daytime, you're gonna want to be on 6 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:19,760 ABC watching Arizona versus Houston or better. You had inside 7 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,519 the Fortiita Center for the afternoon tilt and a coach 8 00:00:23,559 --> 00:00:27,399 Sampson with us here on the show. Coach, it only 9 00:00:27,399 --> 00:00:29,359 feels like a decade plus ago. You and I are 10 00:00:29,399 --> 00:00:32,560 sitting in Hawfyn's pavilion. We're getting ready for a game 11 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,039 with Tulane, about two thousand of our closest friends maybe, 12 00:00:36,119 --> 00:00:38,079 and now you've got people trying to sell your ticket 13 00:00:38,119 --> 00:00:40,640 for five to six hundred dollars in the open market. Congratulations, 14 00:00:40,679 --> 00:00:42,920 I'm making this the hottest ticket in town tomorrow afternoon. 15 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 2: Well, thank you, Matt, I thanks. One of the great 16 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:54,159 things for our university than the getting into the Big twelve. 17 00:00:55,399 --> 00:00:57,600 You got a good team into Big twelve. You're probably 18 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:02,079 one of the best teams, but you're also playing the 19 00:01:02,119 --> 00:01:07,040 best teams in the nation. Arizona's certainly goes fist the 20 00:01:07,079 --> 00:01:10,239 bills for that, that is for sure. 21 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: Did you look. You knew how good the conference was 22 00:01:14,359 --> 00:01:16,959 when you first jumped into it, But this year it 23 00:01:17,239 --> 00:01:20,200 just I mean, Kevin, I'll be really honest, I'm watching 24 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:21,879 a lot of basketball in my life. Sometimes I needed 25 00:01:21,879 --> 00:01:24,359 some time away. But if there's a b YU game on, 26 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:26,760 or an Arizona game on, or a Kansas or in 27 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,400 Iowa State, my goodness, I mean, this competition is going 28 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,239 to get you ready for March Madness for sure. 29 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 2: No, it's gonna it's gonna test you. Great coaches, great 30 00:01:39,719 --> 00:01:45,519 fan bases, great home court advantages. But that's what you 31 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:49,680 sign up for. That's why I'm so proud of what 32 00:01:49,719 --> 00:01:53,159 we've been able to create at the for two, the 33 00:01:53,239 --> 00:01:57,400 center and our fan base has been awesome, not just 34 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:02,519 this year but for a long So it's gonna be 35 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:10,080 a this a great test Arizona. Arizona has a great size, 36 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:15,960 They've got an elite senior point guard and Bradley. They've 37 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:19,879 got a one of the best freshmen in America, uh 38 00:02:20,039 --> 00:02:24,479 that nobody talks enough about in Brandon Berry's and then 39 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:28,840 the two big guys inside Creebus seven to two fifty 40 00:02:29,039 --> 00:02:35,400 and then Owaka who's uh sixty nine sixty, their their size, 41 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:39,719 their girl, extremely well coached, they runder stuff, They've got 42 00:02:39,759 --> 00:02:44,439 a clear identity on who they are. So but you know, 43 00:02:44,719 --> 00:02:49,919 just it's like playing Iowa was paid or Texas Tech BYU. 44 00:02:50,879 --> 00:02:54,159 We haven't played Arizona yet, we haven't played Kansas yet, 45 00:02:54,159 --> 00:02:56,719 but it's gonna be It's gonna be a bauntlet you. 46 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,680 If you're fortunate enough to win a game, you take 47 00:03:01,759 --> 00:03:04,479 it and move on. But even if you lose the game, 48 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:07,199 you've got to find a way to learn something from 49 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:09,879 it so he can get better next time out. 50 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,159 Speaker 1: Kevin, you've obviously had two of the most amazing freshmen 51 00:03:14,199 --> 00:03:15,840 that the campus has had in a long period of time, 52 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:17,520 and they certainly get a lot of run. Take me 53 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,280 through what the Uzan and Sharp season has been like 54 00:03:20,319 --> 00:03:23,479 in your mind, because those are the quote unquote salty veterans, 55 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,520 been there and done that. Are they enjoying this right 56 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:27,879 as much as all of us are as well? 57 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:32,719 Speaker 2: Probably more so? I think they take pride in their leadership. 58 00:03:35,039 --> 00:03:39,560 You know, our team is very inclusive and how we 59 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:44,719 do anything, whether it's off the court, on the court, 60 00:03:45,159 --> 00:03:47,439 over to my house, and not before every home game 61 00:03:47,599 --> 00:03:54,800 for film UNO games sit around watching Jamal or Jarris, 62 00:03:54,919 --> 00:03:58,520 or Marcus or Quinton one of the many Cougars we 63 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:03,800 have in the NBA, watching watching them play together. But 64 00:04:03,879 --> 00:04:07,680 Emanuel's had an awesome year, and and so and so 65 00:04:07,879 --> 00:04:11,360 has my Loss. I think it took my Los a 66 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:18,319 little bit too adjust to a new role. Instead of 67 00:04:18,319 --> 00:04:21,920 being b point guard, he's we're playing two point guard system, 68 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,399 and I think he struggled early trying to figure out 69 00:04:25,399 --> 00:04:29,480 how to make it fit for him and ultimately for us. 70 00:04:29,639 --> 00:04:32,680 But since we got the conference play, he's been awesome. 71 00:04:32,759 --> 00:04:36,480 His defense has improved. He had five defensive rebounds the 72 00:04:36,519 --> 00:04:40,959 other night and names so uh he's having a great year. 73 00:04:41,439 --> 00:04:46,639 And Manuel is and more importantly Matt, they they take 74 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:51,600 responsibility for the way our team plays, and they they're 75 00:04:51,639 --> 00:04:56,040 they're a great help to the freshman. They're always coaching 76 00:04:56,079 --> 00:05:00,600 them and giving them little uh pointers on what to 77 00:05:00,639 --> 00:05:02,759 do here, what to do there on the court. So 78 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,000 we have a good team. I don't know that we 79 00:05:07,079 --> 00:05:10,199 have a great team, but we have a really good 80 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,240 basketball team. 81 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 1: Calvin Samson with us here on the Matt Thomas Show, 82 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,759 Ross getting ready for tomorrow's game with the Arizona Wildcats. 83 00:05:18,519 --> 00:05:19,959 I think I've asked you this a few times over 84 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,800 the years. How many games does it take for freshmen 85 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,959 who do play, especially as much as Senacats played and 86 00:05:25,959 --> 00:05:29,079 as much as Filmmings to get that freshman tag off. 87 00:05:29,759 --> 00:05:32,439 I know they're still learning on the job, but they're 88 00:05:32,439 --> 00:05:35,839 about to hit an incredible stretch with again this game tomorrow, 89 00:05:35,879 --> 00:05:39,560 Big Monday in Kansas. The tournament's coming up soon. Do 90 00:05:39,639 --> 00:05:42,639 they what do they need to experience yet? Or do 91 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:44,639 you think they've got a pretty good feel of what 92 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:46,399 it was like going to Vegas early in the year, 93 00:05:46,519 --> 00:05:48,839 the non conference games, the playing on the Big Monday 94 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:51,600 at Iowa State, playing in Textick. Is there anything yet 95 00:05:51,639 --> 00:05:53,439 that they are yet to experience that you want them 96 00:05:53,439 --> 00:05:56,040 to see before it really gets down to that announcement time. 97 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 2: Well, I think the first Roade game was the biggest test, 98 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:06,920 and that was we played Auburn in Birmingham and they 99 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,399 were a top twenty five team at the time, because 100 00:06:09,879 --> 00:06:11,800 it was very much like a road game even though 101 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:16,240 it's Birmingham, because they had sixteen thousand Auburn fans uh 102 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:25,399 there playing Arkansas in New Jersey National TV. I think 103 00:06:25,439 --> 00:06:30,240 all those were good building blocks for them. But you know, 104 00:06:30,319 --> 00:06:33,360 there's there's very little they haven't seen, and they and 105 00:06:33,439 --> 00:06:37,839 they both and they've both played well. Chris has had 106 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,240 the toughest adjustment because he had to change positions. He's 107 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,439 always been a five. High school five, he guarded fives. 108 00:06:45,759 --> 00:06:49,879 He had an advantage of over fives outside playing at 109 00:06:49,879 --> 00:06:53,319 the four. He's been in an adjustment for him. Kingston 110 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,920 had had any adjustments. He's a point guard. He's used 111 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:57,639 to having the ball in his hands. He's used to 112 00:06:58,439 --> 00:07:02,120 excel it at a high level against the other best 113 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:07,639 players in the country. You know, he his AEU experience. 114 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:12,600 He's He's played Darren Peterson or Debansa or Braiden Berry's 115 00:07:12,639 --> 00:07:16,199 many times. May It was two summers ago. I was 116 00:07:16,199 --> 00:07:20,040 in Orlando at the NBA Top one hundred camp and 117 00:07:21,759 --> 00:07:26,279 you go to one court. There's Kingston playing against Chris's team, 118 00:07:26,439 --> 00:07:32,079 or Christmas team against Braden Berry's team, or or Kingston 119 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,920 against Darren Peterson or a Ja Debansa. So these kids, 120 00:07:36,959 --> 00:07:40,000 from the time they're fourteen or fifteen, they're on the 121 00:07:40,079 --> 00:07:44,199 national circuit, so they play everybody. It's not regional, it's national. 122 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:48,519 So I think the way the AAU system is set 123 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:53,399 up with the shoe companies sponsoring these major tournaments, in 124 00:07:53,439 --> 00:07:57,360 showcasing these kids against each other, I think that's really 125 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,399 accelerated their growth and give them the confidence to come 126 00:08:01,439 --> 00:08:04,759 in in year one and play at a high level. 127 00:08:06,879 --> 00:08:09,519 Speaker 1: And we could spend a long time Kevin talking about 128 00:08:09,519 --> 00:08:12,199 the AAU scene for the pluses and minuses. Help me 129 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:15,680 out are weeks if I'm going on AAU tournament, am 130 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:20,079 I seeing just incredible athleticism that you're saying, I'm gonna 131 00:08:20,079 --> 00:08:22,720 take this kid, bring him into my program. We're going 132 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:25,720 to learn some better fundamentals about defense and jump shots. 133 00:08:25,879 --> 00:08:29,600 Or has the AAU game been refined a little bit 134 00:08:29,639 --> 00:08:31,240 where you're not having to do as much of that 135 00:08:31,319 --> 00:08:33,200 now that maybe you were ten or fifteen years ago. 136 00:08:34,879 --> 00:08:39,519 Speaker 2: Well, I will say this, there is some outstanding AU coaches. 137 00:08:40,279 --> 00:08:48,440 There's some outstanding AAU programs. When I first got here, 138 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:55,120 Texas Pro and Jared Allen and Dayalen Robinson Houston Hoops, 139 00:08:55,919 --> 00:08:59,240 they had so many outstanding players as to Joe Doe 140 00:08:59,279 --> 00:09:04,559 Tugler played for and they play everywhere. They play in 141 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:13,039 La Las Vegas, loisvill Atlanta, Dallas, New York, you name it. 142 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:15,000 I mean they're flying all over the country, and that's 143 00:09:15,039 --> 00:09:18,919 another thing to help these kids, and just to college basketball. 144 00:09:19,279 --> 00:09:22,519 But you know, when you're you're out in the summer, 145 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:29,039 you're really evaluating your your your centiment. Uh some games 146 00:09:29,039 --> 00:09:33,440 are ragtag, some games they went by fifty. But you're 147 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:37,720 you're watching how they react to just about everything, for 148 00:09:37,759 --> 00:09:41,080 instance Kingston. But in hy Tim the thing that jumped 149 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:45,320 out was his maturity, how I handled everything, his leadership, 150 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:50,200 how ted he how tight in he was to his coach. 151 00:09:51,639 --> 00:09:54,279 Cansel went to the same high school for four years. 152 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,879 He played on the same AU team for four years. 153 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:02,000 He had the same coach for both teams, and I 154 00:10:02,039 --> 00:10:07,399 think that speaks to his loyalty, his commitment. They also 155 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:09,639 tell you a little bit about his mother and father, 156 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,559 how committed they were to their son and their whole family. 157 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:16,960 I mean, his daughter just signed a national I'm sorry, 158 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,120 his sister just signed a national lever and tip with Duke. 159 00:10:20,799 --> 00:10:25,919 So he comes from an awesome, awesome family. His character 160 00:10:26,279 --> 00:10:30,320 is beyond reproach. He cares more about winning than he 161 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:34,639 does statistics, and it shows when we're out there playing 162 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:36,639 for I let. 163 00:10:36,519 --> 00:10:39,519 Speaker 1: You run, you brought up Jojo I was in I 164 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:41,919 was down in Florida with the Astros spring training watching 165 00:10:41,919 --> 00:10:45,879 the game. The handball, which was the kickball, still infuriates me. 166 00:10:45,919 --> 00:10:47,600 But I know that plays don't come down to this. 167 00:10:47,759 --> 00:10:51,240 But tell me about Jojo keeping him out of foul trouble. 168 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:54,000 I know that's an easier singing things said than done. 169 00:10:54,159 --> 00:10:56,679 How much does that still weigh on you in terms 170 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,000 of not getting that quick second foul. And I'm not 171 00:10:59,039 --> 00:11:00,519 trying to put the two plays in other but just 172 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,360 thinking about Jojo and his athletic ability is so crazy. 173 00:11:03,399 --> 00:11:05,759 But man, sometimes in that second whistle comes, it really 174 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:07,240 changes who he is as a ballplayer. 175 00:11:08,759 --> 00:11:11,559 Speaker 2: Well, the thing that's really helped us there's been the 176 00:11:11,639 --> 00:11:18,600 development of Khalifa Socco. He's really improved, said Lot, who's 177 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:23,200 been with us now in his third season of playing 178 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:29,559 four years. He's improved. You can't work on a kid's 179 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,320 foul trouble. You can't teach him how not to foul. 180 00:11:34,879 --> 00:11:38,399 A lot of times, the same same thing he does 181 00:11:39,759 --> 00:11:43,480 one game that's not a foul, is a foul the 182 00:11:43,519 --> 00:11:46,080 next game. So a lot of it news the inconsistency 183 00:11:47,399 --> 00:11:52,200 of the whistle. JoJo's extremely aggressives. He's a lot better 184 00:11:53,159 --> 00:12:00,480 at playing smarter with his activity than he was. You know, 185 00:12:00,519 --> 00:12:03,720 you're not going to take away You're not going to 186 00:12:03,799 --> 00:12:07,399 take away his aggressiveness. You know, it's like one of 187 00:12:07,399 --> 00:12:12,440 those old quarterbacks like Kenny Stabler or Jim Plunkett. Those 188 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:18,240 guys always to throw five, six, seven toushdowns certain sundays, 189 00:12:18,799 --> 00:12:23,360 but they also throw three point interceptions. So sometimes if 190 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:25,399 you take away their aggressiveness, you're not going to get 191 00:12:25,399 --> 00:12:28,679 his block shots. And he's not perfect. It's a human being. 192 00:12:28,799 --> 00:12:32,960 He makes mistakes. Sometimes people don't understand that, but it 193 00:12:33,039 --> 00:12:36,879 actually happens. He makes mistakes, and he does it do 194 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,559 it on purpose. That JoJo's a special kid. We would 195 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:45,240 not be where we are without him. Do I wish 196 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,360 he would never foul and could play thirty minutes and 197 00:12:47,919 --> 00:12:52,080 never miss a shot. We could never lose the game. Yeah, 198 00:12:52,159 --> 00:12:54,440 I wish that. It's not reality.