Why Samson Johnson is primed for breakout year

[TheChamps990411]

Edey manhandled everyone including Clingan. The guy was complete beast.

What game were you watching? Im guessing you stopped watching the game with about 5 minutes left in the first half and never tuned back in lol!

 

[BlueMAB]

What game were you watching? Im guessing you stopped watching the game with about 5 minutes left in the first half and never tuned back in lol!

This isn’t an argument that needs to be had.

Edey had 37 and 10, and had a great game. 1 v 5 was never going to to work for them. We handled Purdue even if that meant Edey handled UConn. Our gameplan worked.

I’m sure Edey would settle for 0 points if it meant he got a national championship ring.

 

[RuffRuff]

What game were you watching? Im guessing you stopped watching the game with about 5 minutes left in the first half and never tuned back in lol!

You do realize Edey had 37 points on 15-25 shooting and 10 rebounds? By most accounts, that’s a pretty good game .

Edey got gassed because he was the only one on floor able to do anything, Cling shut him down for a few possessions to allow an ultra efficient offense to pull away and create space. Rest is history.

 

[TheChamps990411]

I think SJ could be a really good center if he simply adds two things 1. Set screens without fouling and 2. Rebounds at a much higher rate which can happen if he works on his boxing out. Think rebound first not put backs on offense and blocks on defense. Rebound, rebound, rebound. Those two things alone make him one of the better centers in the conference.

 

[RuffRuff]

I think SJ could be a really good center if he simply adds two things 1. Set screens without fouling and 2. Rebounds at a much higher rate which can happen if he works on his boxing out. Think rebound first not put backs on offense and blocks on defense. Rebound, rebound, rebound. Those two things alone make him one of the better centers in the conference.

Lot of the shortages I saw with him were above the neck.

One thing about SJ is he has a really really high center of gravity. He’s built like a track athlete. Guys who have any density below the waste can clear him out like road cone. I’d be curious how he’s doing in practice rebounding against Tarris.

Maybe enough practice reps work out some of the mental gaps now that he’s a focal point. We shall see, excited and hopeful to watch him figure it out. All I know is last year 95% of my WTF are you doing energy went at him.

 

[superjohn]

You do realize Edey had 37 points on 15-25 shooting and 10 rebounds? By most accounts, that’s a pretty good game .

Edey got gassed because he was the only one on floor able to do anything, Cling shut him down for a few possessions to allow an ultra efficient offense to pull away and create space. Rest is history.

Edey's #'s were gaudy but that was him playing out of his arse in the first 14 minutes of the game and him overpowering Karaban in garbage time for dunks. Edey had 16 points with 6 minutes left in the first half and then didn't score a point until there was 14 minutes left in the game when he hit a ft, UConn was already up by 13 at that point. Edey scored 15 points when the game was a blowout and it was straight up garbage time where he was clearing Karaban out for dunks.

The whole team was great defensively but Clingan's defense on Edey made it all possible. Everyone else double teamed Edey all season and Edey got his while the rest of Purdue lit teams up from the perimeter. We never doubled Edey because of Clingan and we saw how the rest of Purdue performs against elite defense when they aren't left open and actually have to try and make some plays on their own.

 

[uh-no]

Edey's #'s were gaudy but that was him playing out of his arse in the first 14 minutes of the game and him overpowering Karaban in garbage time for dunks. Edey had 16 points with 6 minutes left in the first half and then didn't score a point until there was 14 minutes left in the game when he hit a ft, UConn was already up by 13 at that point. Edey scored 15 points when the game was a blowout and it was straight up garbage time where he was clearing Karaban out for dunks.

The whole team was great defensively but Clingan's defense on Edey made it all possible. Everyone else double teamed Edey all season and Edey got his while the rest of Purdue lit teams up from the perimeter. We never doubled Edey because of Clingan and we saw how the rest of Purdue performs against elite defense when they aren't left open and actually have to try and make some plays on their own.

100%. It's like people didn't even watch the game.

 

[Coach J]

I think SJ could be a really good center if he simply adds two things 1. Set screens without fouling and 2. Rebounds at a much higher rate which can happen if he works on his boxing out. Think rebound first not put backs on offense and blocks on defense. Rebound, rebound, rebound. Those two things alone make him one of the better centers in the conference.

100%

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Why are we relitigating Edey vs. Clingan?

 

[RuffRuff]

Edey's #'s were gaudy but that was him playing out of his arse in the first 14 minutes of the game and him overpowering Karaban in garbage time for dunks. Edey had 16 points with 6 minutes left in the first half and then didn't score a point until there was 14 minutes left in the game when he hit a ft, UConn was already up by 13 at that point. Edey scored 15 points when the game was a blowout and it was straight up garbage time where he was clearing Karaban out for dunks.

The whole team was great defensively but Clingan's defense on Edey made it all possible. Everyone else double teamed Edey all season and Edey got his while the rest of Purdue lit teams up from the perimeter. We never doubled Edey because of Clingan and we saw how the rest of Purdue performs against elite defense when they aren't left open and actually have to try and make some plays on their own.

He wasn’t playing out his arse, he was being Zach Edey, the two time national player of the year, and 9th pick of the draft. Let’s give the kid credit - he’s really good. He was the only player on the court for Purdue that made the game mildly close. Not sure why we are using him as a barometer for this conversation anyway, as he was miles ahead of the next best college big offensively.

 

[80shusky]

Watching him get totally manhandled by Edey in the championship game, I have my doubts about his strength to battle effectively in the paint against large 5s, and his inability to stay out of foul trouble (not to mention that one of his 5 fouls was an illegal screen, a foul that he was called for numerous times during the season....why can he not get that what he does when setting a screen while continuing to move is a foul!?)

Edey is enormous and pushed everybody around. The illegal screen thing is concerning however you could call it on almost every offensive set in college basketball and be right.

 

[JerseyAlum]

SJ played ~16 mins a game last season, averaging 5.4pts, 2.8 Reb, ~1 block, with 72.5% FG pct - let's say he gets 24 min a game and improves even 10% that gives us 9pts, 4.5 Reb which I see as doable with some games getting 12pts and 10 rebs even. With Reed Jr in the mix I would be more concerned with the Reed + Johnson stats.

 

[REB1094]

My only contribution to this silly Edey debate - I logged how Edey got all of his points that game. He had 5 points in Samson’s short minutes. By the way, Samson had 4 points on Edey in those same minutes by utilizing his speed and athleticism to get above the rim before the defense could respond

It’s no secret or surprise that Samson needs to cut down on fouls (especially offensive) and become stronger so he’s a better rebounder and defender without fouling

It also should be no secret or surprise that he will improve. In his first year, he was unplayable. In his second year, he started the first game before getting injured. In his third year, he was the first big off the bench for one of the most dominant teams CBB has ever seen

Why shouldn’t we assume that the same system which gave him that development, will give him more going into year 4? And if it doesn’t (highly unlikely), we already know that his floor is a backup C who impacts the game for winning teams. And our other C has already been a starter at the P5 level. What’s the concern?

 

[GlastonTim]

Why all the hate for Tarris? Did he sleep with this guy’s girlfriend?

 

[UCan3]

samson had 7.4 fouls per 40 on the year.....It wasn't just edey...he really couldn't guard anyone without fouling.

Well, this is where the coaching comes in… Take a page from Mora throw flags in practice LOL Call fouls,,, help this young man out.

Unlike last year, we need to keep Samson on the floor - he can’t pick up a quick 2 fouls…

That is one thing that didn’t get enough attention last year - was about Clingan was his ability to play D without fouling… That was HUGELY important to our success last year.

I remember during the Illinois game where this dude made unbelievable dunk - Clingon stepped aside and let him have his moment. He smiled after dunk like “dang that was a good dunk” LOL

Illiniois team celebrated dunk, the announcers guffawed about the dunk. We turned around and ran of 30 straight points - Clingan stayed in the floor In no foul trouble..

This is coaching issue which I’m sure they are working on now.

 

[bendm]

4.5 Reb which I see as doable

yikes. our entire starting lineup averaged over 4.5 rpg last year

if samson is our starting C then i dont like our chances of 3peating unless he makes a hilton-esque jump as a senior

 

[uh-no]

Well, this is where the coaching comes in… Take a page from Mora throw flags in practice LOL Call fouls,,, help this young man out.

Unlike last year, we need to keep Samson on the floor - he can’t pick up a quick 2 fouls…

That is one thing that didn’t get enough attention last year - was about Clingan was his ability to play D without fouling… That was HUGELY important to our success last year.

I remember during the Illinois game where this dude made unbelievable dunk - Clingon stepped aside and let him have his moment. He smiled after dunk like “dang that was a good dunk” LOL

Illiniois team celebrated dunk, the announcers guffawed about the dunk. We turned around and ran of 30 straight points - Clingan stayed in the floor In no foul trouble..

This is coaching issue which I’m sure they are working on now.

agree 100%. When it comes to foul trouble, some guys eventually figure it out, some guys never do. I hope SJ is in the former class.

 

[CL82]

Why all the hate for Tarris? Did he sleep with this guy’s girlfriend?

 

[Kenny11]

He’s going to foul less because he has to. Also, sometimes refs seem to call everything on backup centers. I have no data to support that theory though lol

 

[Lambeau]

He's a Michigan fan traumatized by 24 losses last year, the most ever, and blames Tarris' BBIQ and general mental deficiency.

 

[JerseyAlum]

Tarris was signed as a PF remember? They had Hunter Dickenson still. Played his entire Frosh as a PF. Then Dickenson to Kansas means Tarris played the 5 finally, and when their guard was not allowed on road games Tarris was "the guy" for the offense and those teams knew it. Tarris will hit a little differently here.

 

[HooperScooper]

Tarris was signed as a PF remember? They had Hunter Dickenson still. Played his entire Frosh as a PF. Then Dickenson to Kansas means Tarris played the 5 finally, and when their guard was not allowed on road games Tarris was "the guy" for the offense and those teams knew it. Tarris will hit a little differently here.

Really? No wonder why their offense wasn't good.

He was definitely a center coming out of high school. Reed didn't start his freshman year (2022-2023) and Dickinson averaged 32.8 minutes a game and Reed only 12.6. So I don't know how much they were on the court together as a C/PF combo.

In 2023-2024 Reed averaged the 5th most minutes on the team, the 5th most shots put up, the 5th most points (far behind McDaniel and Nkamhoua) but was their leading rebounder (0.1 per game more than their PF Nkamhoua). So he was never "the guy" for their offense. Not sure why you're saying that.

2023-24 Men's Basketball Cumulative Statistics

The official 2023-24 Men's Basketball cumulative statistics for the Michigan Wolverines

mgoblue.com

 

[navery12]

Really? No wonder why their offense wasn't good.

He was definitely a center coming out of high school. Reed didn't start his freshman year (2022-2023) and Dickinson averaged 32.8 minutes a game and Reed only 12.6. So I don't know how much they were on the court together as a C/PF combo.

In 2023-2024 Reed averaged the 5th most minutes on the team, the 5th most shots put up, the 5th most points (far behind McDaniel and Nkamhoua) but was their leading rebounder (0.1 per game more than their PF Nkamhoua). So he was never "the guy" for their offense. Not sure why you're saying that.

2023-24 Men's Basketball Cumulative Statistics

The official 2023-24 Men's Basketball cumulative statistics for the Michigan Wolverines

mgoblue.com

They played together for 250 of Reed's 703 possessions that year, so about 1/3 of the time. He's definitely a C though and that's the only spot he'll play this year for UConn

 

[NJHusky]

Well, this is where the coaching comes in… Take a page from Mora throw flags in practice LOL Call fouls,,, help this young man out.

Unlike last year, we need to keep Samson on the floor - he can’t pick up a quick 2 fouls…

That is one thing that didn’t get enough attention last year - was about Clingan was his ability to play D without fouling… That was HUGELY important to our success last year.

I remember during the Illinois game where this dude made unbelievable dunk - Clingon stepped aside and let him have his moment. He smiled after dunk like “dang that was a good dunk” LOL

Illiniois team celebrated dunk, the announcers guffawed about the dunk. We turned around and ran of 30 straight points - Clingan stayed in the floor In no foul trouble..

This is coaching issue which I’m sure they are working on now.

Remember a comment from cam to DC. After DC picked up a fowl cam said we need u on the court. 2 points doesn’t matter but having u sit for 10 min does.

 

[Samoo]

They played together for 250 of Reed's 703 possessions that year, so about 1/3 of the time. He's definitely a C though and that's the only spot he'll play this year for UConn

I'm looking for Danny to do something innovative and special with them, beyond the simple platoon. Not sure what it will be - we may see some early version of the twin towers against the cupcakes just to see if it has legs. Luke will find something in Europe that makes sense...