NEW YORK — UConn head coach Dan Hurley yelled out to the court to catch the attention of his backup center, Samson Johnson, after he drew a foul while driving to the basket in the first half of Monday’s Empire Classic championship win over No. 15 Texas.
From the free throw line, Johnson nodded when he saw the thumbs up from his head coach in front of the bench.
The 6-foot-10 junior, who waited years for his turn to make an impact with the Huskies, made it hard for Hurley to take him off the floor. After struggling to get going in the previous two games, Johnson played 16 minutes and had 11 points, three rebounds, a block and a steal as UConn built a lead of as many as 16 points in the first half on Monday.
“That’s why we play at UConn,” Johnson said. “Moments like that. Stepping up on the biggest stage, and I’m just happy to help my team win.”
Texas (4-1) cut UConn’s lead down to seven in the second half before Johnson checked back into the game about five and a half minutes in. He only needed to score two more buckets, both dunks that carried loads of momentum, and added five rebounds and a block. UConn was plus-11 in the second half when Johnson was on the court.
“When Samson came back from the injury we just identified that a position change would do wonders for him,” Hurley said of moving Johnson to center after he started last year at the four, before his foot injury in the season-opener and the emergence of Alex Karaban. “He’s a movement center and just with that athleticism as a rim-runner in transition, as a guy that can fly around and make splash defensive plays, as a roller in the ball-screen game, he’s a perfect compliment to Donovan (Clingan).”
UConn men’s basketball beats No. 15 Texas, 81-71, for Empire Classic championship
Clingan got into foul trouble early and had seven points and a block in 13 minutes, making for the first time UConn really needed to lean on Johnson in order to win. Just a week ago, Hurley said he felt Johnson had taken a “little step back” after he had just five points and five rebounds, plus three turnovers, in 16 minutes against Mississippi Valley State. “He’s a critical part of our team, so give him a little bit of time,” Hurley said Friday, before the team left for Manhattan.
Johnson answered the bell.
“The way Samson played today, it was unbelievable,” said Karaban, who hit a series of clutch shots to secure the win. “Us in practices, we knew what he was capable of so it’s not really a surprise for us. But just for everyone else to see, I mean he’s such a special talent and we’re really gonna need him this year.”
‘Growing up through the game’
After Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year Stephon Castle went down with a knee injury against Stonehill, expected to miss at least a few weeks, Hurley and the Huskies had to turn to the next man up.
The next man happened to be another key part of the “Fab Five” freshman class: Solo Ball.
In his first career start against Mississippi Valley State, Ball finished with 10 points but struggled to get shots to fall at a consistent rate, going 3-for-12 from the field and just 2-for-7 from the 3-point line. He was 0-for-4 from the field in the first half of Sunday’s game at MSG against Indiana, but responded with an impressive nine points on 4 of 6 shooting in the second.
Out of the gate Monday, Ball hit a 3-pointer and had two putback dunks in the first half.
“I felt like I was growing up through the game,” Ball said. “And as I kept going through each game I felt even more comfortable and my teammates kept me level-headed and just kept me focused. Even if I made a mistake they always just made sure I was good and that I wasn’t focused on any of the mistakes I made.”
Castle reportedly told ESPN’s Myron Medcalf before Monday’s game that “his rehab has gone ‘quicker than expected’ and he’s ‘targeting’ a return for UConn’s matchup at Kansas on Dec. 1.”
By the time he returns, Ball will have had all of the experience necessary to be an impact player in his role as a guard off the bench alongside junior Hassan Diarra, who had a big game on both ends of the court Monday.
“Solo has been a blessing for us,” Diarra said. “As a freshman to play in this environment with that much pressure, to perform at a high level, credit to him. I’m extremely proud of him and I’m extremely happy for him.”
Diarra draws high praise
With his gritty, New York City-style of play, Diarra impacted Monday’s game in a number of ways.
“He’s (UConn’s) best perimeter defender,” Texas coach Rodney Terry said.
Diarra, 6-2 from Queens, blocked two shots and had two steals in 28 minutes – the most he’s played against a high-major opponent since transferring to UConn from Texas A&M last year. He also had eight points and was tied for second on the team with six rebounds, three of which came on the offensive glass.
“He was awesome,” Hurley said. “We had two veteran guards that came off the bench for us last year in Nahiem (Alleyne) and Joey (Calcaterra), so there’s a lot of pressure on Hassan to deliver those types of performances. He was a pest defensively, he made so many winning plays out there. That’s the template for him and if we could have a lot of nights like that from him, it puts us in a great spot.”
Approaching history
Having won 22 consecutive nonconference games by double-digits, UConn is two games away from breaking North Carolina’s record streak of 23 from 2008-09. The Huskies are set to play buy games against Manhattan and New Hampshire on Friday and Monday, respectively.
“That’s unheard of,” Diarra said. “I’m gonna be locked in on that.”
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