Capel's Mustache
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Former Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel recruited Sam Grooms. When OU fired Capel and hired Lon Kruger a month ago, the Chipola (Fla.) College point guard at first didn't know how to react.
Sam Grooms is rated as one of the nation
OU basketball: In Sam Grooms, Sooners getting pass-first point guard who can defend "Sometimes life throws you things," Grooms said in a phone interview with The Oklahoman. "It was a decision they made. But it didn't affect me that much. Coach Kruger made me feel comfortable with what he was going to do and his style of play. He's straight forward. I'm going to enjoy playing for him."
A 6-foot-1 North Carolina product, Grooms will compete for the starting point guard job with Carl Blair, last year's starter. OU also has Calvin Newell, who was the backup as a freshman.
"Both of those guys are good players and are good people," Grooms said. "It will be a war every day. I've always lived by you get what you earn. When people say I might start any kid would think about that. But I just want to come in and do whatever I can to help us win games."
Grooms averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 assists at Chipola, one of the top junior college programs in the country. His statistics are misleading. The Indians featured one of the top freshmen in the country. All four sophomores signed with Division I programs.
His reputation is a pass-first point guard that plays solid defense. His speed, combined with a solid 190-pround frame, benefits him on both ends. Chipola coach Jake Headrick said his best asset is he can guard multiple positions.
"You can do so many things because of his size and strength," Headrick said. "He's a great defender. Overall he has the intangibles really good point guards have. He understands how to run the show, but in the end he's about winning, whatever it takes."
It's not lip service. Grooms believes defense is paramount to winning.
"I'm a pure point guard that can score when necessary but I concentrate more on playing defense and making everyone else better," Grooms said. "I don't like it when they score. It irks me. It bothers me."
Chipola's last seven point guards have signed with Division I programs, including Ohio State, Oregon and Missouri.
The stats that represent his all-around game are when he played at Charis (N.C.) Prep, one of the top high school programs in the country. Grooms averaged 20.8 points and 7.0 assists to lead Charis to a 43-3 season his final year.
"He's played a lot of AAU basketball and he's played in one of the best junior college leagues in the country,” Headrick said. “He's prepared for (the Big 12). Others have gone on to play well at that level. He really likes what coach Kruger is trying to build there."
Grooms plans to enroll in July. He signed with South Florida out of high school but just missed qualifying.
"It turned out to be the best thing for me," Grooms said. "It gave me a chance to mature as a person and on the basketball court. Chipola is considered by a lot of people as the Carolina or Duke in Juco. You play the best of the best every day. It helped me improve my game.”
Early in the season North Carolina was recruiting Grooms but opted to sign a high school player. Louisville, Illinois, LSU, Central Florida and Baylor were options. He committed to OU after his official visit three weeks ago.
"I was telling people it's something you have to experience for yourself how much those people in Norman support everything OU does," Grooms said. "The environment they have, the love they have for that school is amazing.
"I'm looking forward to it. I love the environment and what not. A lot of people will probably underestimate us because it's coach Kruger's first year. But we have a chance to be good. If we put in hard work the sky is the limit."
Read more: http://newsok.com/ou-basketball-in-...-who-can-defend/article/3564791#ixzz1LTIYeCUC
Sam Grooms is rated as one of the nation
OU basketball: In Sam Grooms, Sooners getting pass-first point guard who can defend "Sometimes life throws you things," Grooms said in a phone interview with The Oklahoman. "It was a decision they made. But it didn't affect me that much. Coach Kruger made me feel comfortable with what he was going to do and his style of play. He's straight forward. I'm going to enjoy playing for him."
A 6-foot-1 North Carolina product, Grooms will compete for the starting point guard job with Carl Blair, last year's starter. OU also has Calvin Newell, who was the backup as a freshman.
"Both of those guys are good players and are good people," Grooms said. "It will be a war every day. I've always lived by you get what you earn. When people say I might start any kid would think about that. But I just want to come in and do whatever I can to help us win games."
Grooms averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 assists at Chipola, one of the top junior college programs in the country. His statistics are misleading. The Indians featured one of the top freshmen in the country. All four sophomores signed with Division I programs.
His reputation is a pass-first point guard that plays solid defense. His speed, combined with a solid 190-pround frame, benefits him on both ends. Chipola coach Jake Headrick said his best asset is he can guard multiple positions.
"You can do so many things because of his size and strength," Headrick said. "He's a great defender. Overall he has the intangibles really good point guards have. He understands how to run the show, but in the end he's about winning, whatever it takes."
It's not lip service. Grooms believes defense is paramount to winning.
"I'm a pure point guard that can score when necessary but I concentrate more on playing defense and making everyone else better," Grooms said. "I don't like it when they score. It irks me. It bothers me."
Chipola's last seven point guards have signed with Division I programs, including Ohio State, Oregon and Missouri.
The stats that represent his all-around game are when he played at Charis (N.C.) Prep, one of the top high school programs in the country. Grooms averaged 20.8 points and 7.0 assists to lead Charis to a 43-3 season his final year.
"He's played a lot of AAU basketball and he's played in one of the best junior college leagues in the country,” Headrick said. “He's prepared for (the Big 12). Others have gone on to play well at that level. He really likes what coach Kruger is trying to build there."
Grooms plans to enroll in July. He signed with South Florida out of high school but just missed qualifying.
"It turned out to be the best thing for me," Grooms said. "It gave me a chance to mature as a person and on the basketball court. Chipola is considered by a lot of people as the Carolina or Duke in Juco. You play the best of the best every day. It helped me improve my game.”
Early in the season North Carolina was recruiting Grooms but opted to sign a high school player. Louisville, Illinois, LSU, Central Florida and Baylor were options. He committed to OU after his official visit three weeks ago.
"I was telling people it's something you have to experience for yourself how much those people in Norman support everything OU does," Grooms said. "The environment they have, the love they have for that school is amazing.
"I'm looking forward to it. I love the environment and what not. A lot of people will probably underestimate us because it's coach Kruger's first year. But we have a chance to be good. If we put in hard work the sky is the limit."
Read more: http://newsok.com/ou-basketball-in-...-who-can-defend/article/3564791#ixzz1LTIYeCUC
