Kelvin Sampson Praises Veteran Guard's Expanding Role After Arkansas Win
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On Saturday afternoon, the No. 8 Houston Cougars (11-1) and the No. 14 Arkansas Razorbacks (9-3) squared off in the Never Forget Tribute Classic. Due to an offensive surge in the first half, the Cougars would end up taking the top-15 matchup by a score of 94-85.
With 20-point efforts from both Emanuel Sharp and Kingston Flemings, the Razorbacks were frankly outpaced by Houston until late in the second half. While the two guards stole the show offensively, head coach Kelvin Sampson took time after the game to talk about another players impact in recent weeks.
Coming off the bench for the Cougars, Ramon Walker Jr. had a solid night against Arkansas totaling a season-high 12 points and four rebounds. He also logged a season-high 27 minutes on the court. The senior guard has seen his role in the lineup steadily increase in recent weeks.
Sampson Speaks on Walker Jr.'s Growth at Houston
After his double-digit performance against a solid Razorbacks team, Sampson praised Walker Jr. for stepping into a bigger role for Houston this season. The guard has made 83 appearances for the Cougars across five seasons, but has only made two starts.
"Ramon averaged about 20 minutes as a freshman," Sampson told the media after the win. "I knew that his experience would be there. The thing about Ramon, and Emanuel said something after the game that I thought was apropos, was that he's one of the captains, he's our toughest guys, we've got some tough guys..."
"Ramon comes off the bench and has created a really good niche for himself," Sampson added. "Sometimes they have to do it. Coach can't always do that for you, that's your job to create your own niche, then you put me in a position where I have to play you."
In Houston's first 11 games, Walker Jr. has done more with less as a senior. While he's only averaged 13.2 minutes per game this season, he currently holds career-highs in both points per game (3.9) and rebounds per game (3.0).
While Walker Jr. is currently coming off the bench for the Cougars, his role in the offense continues to grow. In Houston's first five contests, the senior from Pearland, Texas averaged just 9.8 minutes and under one point per game. Since then, he's averaged 16.6 minutes and seven points per game.
With Sampson valuing toughness in his athletes, it wouldn't be shocking if the head coach continues to rely on Walker Jr. to make a positive impact on the game. If the guard continues to perform at a high level, there's a possibility that he could even contend for a spot in the starting lineup.
