Why the 2017-2018 Team is my Favorite Kelvin Sampson Coached University of Houston Men’s Basketball Team.

 

    In the Spring of 2014, Kelvin Sampson took over the helm of the struggling University of Houston men’s basketball program. The Houston Cougars hadn’t been to the NCAA tournament since 2010, and had been a long ways away from the dominant Phi Slama Jama era. But, from the day he stepped foot on campus, there was a presence about him that breathed in a legitimate confidence and determination that gave UH fans a feeling that this new hire could equate to something positive in the future. Fast forward 7 years and the Houston Cougars are now a men’s college basketball heavyweight. UH’s basketball team’s list of recent accomplishments include: making the NCAA Tournament 3 years in a row (should be 4, but the 2020 tournament was canceled due to Covid-19), clinching the Final Four in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, sending 5 players to the NBA, winning the American Conference Tournament Championship in 2021, and winning the American Conference Coach of the Year two times (2018, 2019). So, you could definitely say that since 2017, the Cougars have been on a roll. 

As a Houston native myself, graduate of the University of Houston, and former student manager during the 2013-2014 basketball season, I can definitely see the difference the team’s success is having. You can now constantly see people casually wearing UH gear out and about, and the new improved Fertita Center is a city aireloom of an arena, which only makes it easier for Coach Sampson and staff to recruit big time players, not only in Houston, but nationally as well. This fall, UH received a commitment from Jarace Walker, the highest ranked basketball recruit by UH in the era of modern player scouting, not to mention two other top-100 ranked recruits. As you can tell, things are going pretty well for the Coogs going forward, but let's not forget about the teams that have gotten UH to this point, notably the 2017-2018 UH Men’s Basketball Team.

During the 2019-2020 season, the Cougars boasted a roster that possessed 3 future NBA players: Quentin Grimes, Nate Hinton, and Dejon Jarreau. The team never got the chance to play in the NCAA Tournament that season due to Covid-19, but they were on track to finish the season successfully and make a deep run in the 2020 NCAA Tournament. In 2021, with Grimes and Jarreau, the team clinched the first Final Four in 27 years. Now, all of that is fine and dandy, but I want to take some UH fans back to a team that could’ve made a similarly deep run in the 2018 NCAA tournament, if it wasn’t for a near half-court shot buzzer beater by Michigan’s Jordan Poole.This team’s rotation was made up of four junior college transfers, a former walk-on, a LIU-Brooklyn transfer, and three 3-Star recruits. Obviously, when described like that, the team seems far from intimidating, but the 2017-2018 team ended the season with a 27-8 record and clinched a number 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament that season, while not ever playing a true home game. That season the Coogs played their home games at Texas Southern University’s H&PE arena, while the University of Houston was renovating Hofheinz Pavilion, which would become the Fertita Center. So, no home games and no nationally touted recruits, yet the Coogs were literally a shot away from the Sweet 16. 

So, how did UH attain so much success amidst all these limitations? Well, let's start with the fact that recruiting is more than evaluating who is a 5 Star or most talented. A big part of recruiting is fit. A coach needs to recruit players that can not only play, but also fit in their system and play style. This is one of Kelvin Sampson’s best abilities. Because he arrived in May of 2014, Sampson missed out on most high school recruits from the 2014 class. The only high school player Sampson acquired in 2014 was a walk-on by the name of Wes Vanbeck. But Vanbeck actually received playing time his freshman year and by the time his junior year came along, he had worked and shot his way into being awarded a scholarship. In 2015, Sampson recruited his first high school player for UH: point guard, Galen Robinson. Although Robinson was just a 3 star recruit, his commitment and a few others would go on to help set the table for what defines Houston Basketball’s culture: Toughness. Another recruit that helped push UH basketball into the College Basketball Elite was Rob Gray. At a little above 6’1 and without glaring athleticism, Rob Gray wouldn’t have caught the eye of a lot of programs coming out of Howard Junior College, but he caught the eye of Kelvin Sampson. Fortunately for Gray and UH, he was able to come in as a sophomore, and Gray would go on to get a lot of buckets in his remaining three years of eligibility with the Cougars. Additionally in 2016, UH would receive two more additions that would help change the program’s trajectory: Devin Davis, a former forward for the Indiana Hoosiers and Armoni Brooks: a 3-point shooting stud, who had just found the perfect marriage by agreeing to commit to Coach Sampson and the Cougars. Lastly, 2017 was one of UH’s best recruiting years of this time period. The Cougars brought in Brean Brady, a Junior College transfer big man with a big body and nice touch around the rim, Fabian White, another soft touch possessing big man from the high school class of 2017, Nura Zanna, a hard nosed-early graduate transfer from LIU-Brooklyn, and a gritty, sharp shooting guard by the name of Corey Davis Jr. These 9 players, whether a Junior College transfer, an overlooked high school prospect, or a former Division 1 player looking for a place to call home, spurred the change of the outlook on Houston Cougars Basketball. 

Like I said UH would go on to have a successful  2017-2018 season, but it wasn’t easy. An early non-conference loss to Drexel was a shocker and could’ve led to a downward spiral, but the Cougars would end up winning 7 straight games, including wins over Wake Forest and Arkansas, before losing by 3 points in their 2nd and last loss of their non-conference schedule to Tremont Waters & LSU. The American Conference was very competitive during the 2017-2018 season. Cincinnati, Wichita State, and Houston would all go on to make the NCAA tournament, and there were other teams that were very competitive that year, such as Tulsa, Memphis, and UCF. In January, The Coogs won four out of seven American Conference games. They suffered their first loss in Wichita versus the shockers, but were able to get revenge at their fake home, H&PE arena, towards the end of the month. On January 17th, Houston suffered an upset loss on the road against Tulane and on January 31st, The Cougars lost another road game at the hands of the Cincinnati Bearcats. Although Houston lost the game, they switched gears from that point on. February proved to be a much better month for The Coogs. Houston went 7-1 in February. Similarly to their series with Wichita State, Houston beat Cincinnati in their second game when the Bearcats traveled to Houston. The only loss during this stretch came at home, with a shocking loss against Memphis. The Houston Cougars finished tied for 2nd in conference with the Wichita State Shockers and began the American Conference Tournament with a win versus Central Florida in the first round. The second round pitted the Cougars versus none other than the Wichita State Shockers. The game was a back and forth affair. Rob Gray dropped 33 points, made a key steal late in the game, and sank the win-clinching free throws to help defeat the Shockers 77-74. The Cincinnati Bearcats awaited the Cougars in the Championship game. In a game consisting of two of the most physical teams in the country, the question of who would be the final victor and Champion of the American Conference Tournament would come down to the wire. Despite their efforts, the Cougars would come up short 56-55, but it was truly a great game between two very similar teams. The loss only gave the players and staff at Houston the confidence that they could truly play with the best. This realization would be key as their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament during the Kelvin Sampson era was awaiting.

The University of Houston men’s basketball team bolstered a 26-7 record, 2nd place status in the American Conference, and most importantly, an impressive resume, which earned them a 6th seed in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region. This was the first time UH was able to participate in March Madness since 2010, and the Coogs were ready. Houston faced 11th seeded San Diego State in the first round. Rob Gray exploded to score 39 points and made a game-winning layup send the Cougars to the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament. In the 2nd round Houston would face the 3rd seeded University of Michigan Wolverines. If we fast forward to 2021, there are 3 players from that team in the NBA now: Moritz Wagner, Duncan Robinson, and a young freshman at the time named Jordan Poole. The only player out of these three who actually started for the team was Wagner. The Wolverines sported a lineup that also contained the likes of college basketball stars, such as Charles Matthews, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, and Zavier Simpson. The Michigan Wolverines possessed a 30-7 record and to be frank, a more talented roster than the Houston Cougars. But there was still a game to be played to decide which team would go on to play in the Sweet 16. The game was a tightly contested matchup of two very different styles competing against each other. Rob Gray dazzled with his exciting guard play and Devin Davis' tough finishing around the basket kept the Cougars surging, while Michigan received a balanced amount of contributions from Wagner, Matthews, Abdur-Rahkman, and Robinson. The game was tight the whole way and with 3.8 seconds left in the game, Houston was up on Michigan 63-61, with Devin Davis heading to shoot two free throws in order to increase the lead and put the game away. Cougar fans were seen celebrating in excitement. The Cougars were headed to the Sweet 16! I’m sure they were pretty confident, because up to this point in the game Davis was 8-8 from the free throw line. So, the two teams lined up for the free throws and Davis stepped up to the line. He shot the first one and he missed short off the front of the rim. Davis would miss the second free throw as well. Michigan called a timeout and each team headed to their huddles. Houston still had positive spirits, because they still held a two point lead, and Michigan had to advance the ball up the entire court to either tie or win the game. The Wolverines ran a late-game full-court play and inbounded the ball from the baseline. Abdur-Rahkman caught the ball near half-court, then passed the ball to Poole with one second left, and Poole drained the shot as the clock expired. The Michigan Wolverines celebrated in pure excitement as their freshman hit the game winning three-pointer to send them into the Sweet 16. The Cougars, on the other hand, were devastated. Galen Robinson, Devin Davis, and Corey Davis Jr. were seen laying on the floor with their heads down. Armoni Brooks was full of tears on the bench. The 2017-2018 season was over for the Cougars and it wasn’t anything they could do about it. 

Even though I didn't play on that team or watch the game in person, I remember the feeling of sadness as Poole drained that shot. I am a Golden State Warriors fan, which means I’m a Jordan poole fan now, but at that moment he wasn’t my favorite at all. He had just ended the best Houston Cougars basketball season in recent memory, and everyone associated with the program wasn’t ready for it to be over, but it was. Nonetheless, that season put the College basketball world on notice; Houston Cougars basketball is back, and we’re here to stay. That is why this team is my favorite of the Sampson era. It marked the beginning of a run that still isn't finished. None of the guys on this team were deemed special by the media before they played for UH. Although several of the players would go on to play professionally, Armoni Brooks was the only one to make the NBA. The 2017-2018 outplayed more talented teams, while never playing one true home game, set the foundation of a truly tough culture, and again sparked the beginning of bringing Houston basketball back to the national stage.