Which Houston Players Could Have A Breakout Game?
In this story:
There are always games where players who check in do not get enough credit when the other players on the floor draw a ton of attention.
Depending on how close the contest is on Monday at the Fertitta Center, there might be more opportunities for three players on the Houston Cougars to earn some minutes and show the college basketball world what they can do before conference play begins.
Coach Kelvin Sampson has done a phenomenal job of finding those guys who many coaches are not instantly attracted to in recruiting, but Sampson sees potential in those players and knows how special they are and can be. It might just take time or a blowout.
When the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders come to town, the Cougars' starting five will see substitutions, which will give a different look on the court on both offense and defense, and these ballers could quietly cook and build on their performance.
Ramon Walker Jr., Guard
This season, the senior, Ramon Walker, has appeared in 10 games and has been a great addition to the program. Right now, he is earning 13.2 minutes per game but knows his role on this team. He is in his fifth year of playing basketball, having been granted another season due to COVID-19.
Sampson is lucky to hold onto Walker, as he has been very loyal to the Cougars and hasn’t elected to hit the portal to play anywhere else but for the coach in his 12th year there. His best game of the season came in his last outing against Arkansas, where he registered 12 points.
Other than that, he hasn’t reached double digits in all of the other games, but came close against Notre Dame with nine. Every one of those points matters for Houston and could be the difference in the game against Middle Tennessee. Keep an eye on Walker as he has momentum and confidence coming off the road trip.
Kalifa Sakho, Forward
Only one season has been spent with the Cougars for senior Kalifa Walker, a 6-foot-11 athlete from Rouen, France. He wears no. 14 and is a player who can do great things, like blocking shots and crashing the glass.
He’s not one of the most talked-about players on the Cougars, as he's averaging only 1.6 points and 2.9 rebounds. From the field, he is shooting 66.7 percent, and from the charity stripe, he is 66.7 percent. His best performance this season came when the Irish played the Cougars, where he posted six points with 10 minutes, two made free throws, and one block. If he gets more minutes, do not underestimate what he can do to the opposing defense.
Mercy Miller, Guard
When a sophomore is able to contribute to a team that just came off a title game loss in the previous season and go against teams that have some of the most talented players in college, it shows that Mercy Miller is growing each day in practice and is being disciplined when he is on the court. He has shown great eye discipline, been able to share the basketball, and knows when to take his shots.
Listed at 6-foot-4, the Sherman Oaks, California, native is now in his second season with Houston, where he is quietly becoming a much-improved player, having shot 45.7 percent from the field with an average of 4.88 points. No one should undervalue what the shotmaker does daily to get better. Could Miller be the one to make that clutch basket that goes untalked about?
Kolton Becker is a journalist for Texas A&M Aggies and Houston Cougars On SI from Port Lavaca, Texas. He is a graduate from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural communications and journalism and a minor in sport management. As a former sports reporter with TexAgs and The Battalion, he has covered Texas A&M football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, track & field, cross country, swim & dive and equestrian. In his spare time, he loves to hunt, fish, cook, do play-by-play announcing at high school sporting events, spend time with family/friends as well as be involved with his local church.
Follow kolton_becker