Wednesday, November 24, 1999
Wright likes Stuff's 'impressive' talent
Backcourt filled with potential; Samake developing
BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati Stuff coach Joby Wright believes the new minor-league basketball team is still missing “a piece of the puzzle,” preferably a 6-foot-9 forward who can defend, rebound and do “everything else.”
But even so, Wright likes the makeup of his team as it prepares for its season opener against the Richmond Rhythm at 7:30p.m. Friday at the Firstar Center.
“We intend to be the best pro basketball team in Cincinnati since the Royals,” Wright said. “We'd like to be considered a very good pro basketball team. We've got a lot of work to do. But the talent is impressive.”
Wright doesn't have a starting lineup yet. But he is particularly enthusiastic about guards Roderick “Moo-Moo” Blakeney, Wayne Turner and Lenny Brown; forwards Tremain Fowlkes, Eric Taylor and Alex Sanders, and center Soumailia Samake.
Samake is a 7-2, 230-pound center from West Africa who drew praise from former NBA coach and general manager Bernie Bickerstaff, now coach of the St.Louis Swarm, after the Stuff's exhibition game Monday.
“Bickerstaff was totally impressed with his ability to run the floor and his leaping ability,” Wright said. “I can see him getting better and better. He's only practiced with us five times.”
Turner, the former Kentucky point guard who won two NCAA championships as a Wildcat, had a brief run with the Boston Celtics. Getting him to sign with the Stuff was considered a coup in IBL circles, and he could have a big hand in running the offense.
The 6-1 Blakeney (South Carolina State) could be a solid backcourt scorer to pair with Turner's play-making.
“He's a very exciting player,” Wright said. “He's little, but he plays so big.”
Fowlkes, a former McDonald's All-American who played at Fresno State, is 6-8, 220 and had 16 points and 12 rebounds in Monday's exhibition. The Stuff are still trying to gain his eligibility for Friday's opener because he played in the CBA last year.
Sanders (6-7, 255), who would have been a senior at Louisville, scored 24 points Monday and has drawn attention from NBA scouts. Wright said four will be at Friday's game.
“Scouts like his potential. He runs the floor, hustles, dives on the floor,” Wright said.
Taylor (6-7, 245) grew up in Cincinnati. Wright said he likes his rebounding. “He's a tremendous post defensive player,” the coach added.
The Stuff's roster also includes Damon Frierson (Miami), Damon Flint (UC), Allen Edwards (Kentucky, out with a broken hand) Chris Kingsbury (Hamilton High, Iowa) and Xavi er's Brown.
Of Brown, Wright said, “You can tell why Xavier won when he was there.”
The frontcourt also has 6-8 forward Courtney James (Minnesota) and 6-11 center Phil Hickey (Notre Dame).
Wright's philosophy will be to play solid defense — the Stuff are the only of the eight IBL teams not to give up 100 points in an exhibition game — and move the ball around on offense.
“I want everybody on offense to touch the ball,” Wright said.
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