Kelvin's Krew Ready for Another Memorable Season

by Justin Waganer

Senior Sports Writer

November 11, 2001

When you think of bumps, bruises, dislocations, breaks, fractures, blood, and guts in sports you typically think of football.  While this is true of Oklahoma's football boys, the boys that take the hardwood for Kelvin Sampson don't exactly get through the season unscathed themselves, but this season they actually have margin for error in the injury department. 

Kelvin Sampson and his Oklahoma Sooners will officially tip-off the 2001-02 season on Monday night against Central Connecticut and the Sooners are not ready to fall off their pace that has got them to 53 wins over the last two seasons just yet.  With the addition of Ebi Ere, Jason Detrick, Quannas White, Jozsef Szendrei, and most notably Jabahri Brown OU may do it with a different style.

In the two exhibition games Oklahoma put up 86 and 85 points while shooting below 40% in both games, showing the ability to do a few things that killed them the last few years.  The Sooners can now run, create shots, and get to the free throw line with more regularity than the first seven years of Kelvin Sampson's tenure.

This team will run on both ends of the court this season with more trapping and full court press than fans are accustomed to seeing which will lead to more easy baskets on the offensive end.  Players like Ebi Ere, Jason Detrick, and Jabahri Brown have brought in athleticism and size that Oklahoma has needed to run a more pressing defense and still have depth to use it while in foul trouble.

Sampson is excited about this years team, "It's a young team but it's an exciting team. If I'm a fan at the University of Oklahoma, I'm getting really, really excited about watching this group. They're going to be fun to watch. This is a great group of kids that will compete its butt off and play its heart out. Who knows? We think we're going to be pretty good."

The hard part of improving on a 26-win season is the schedule that includes road games at Arkansas, Connecticut, Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma State with the possibility of playing at Michigan State in the second round of the Preseason NIT.  The Sooners also play at home against Maryland and Saint Bonaventure with the usual Big 12 schedule following.

Former Consensus All-American Wayman Tisdale is now part of the Sooner Sports Network broadcasts and is impressed with Sampson and excited about the future of the program.  "It took Coach Sampson a little while to get the program in line, but, now, with a couple of great recruiting years and getting the right pieces in place, I think he has set himself up to have a powerhouse in Norman like we had in the 80s. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this team does."

The Sooners begin the season at 7 p.m. on Monday night against Central Connecticut inside the renovated Lloyd Noble Center.  If Oklahoma wins they will likely play at Michigan State on Wednesday night on ESPN, if they lose they will not play again until November 28 against Central Michigan.