BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Brandon Sampson thought he had it all figured out. The Madison Prep guard was convinced he’d be part of three state championship teams.
When the Chargers lost to Metairie Park Country Day in the Class 1A final in 2014, Sampson had to change his thinking. More importantly, the 6-foot-5 senior changed his game and his approach to it.
“I was the face of the team my junior year but I was uncomfortable with it,” Sampson said. “This year I wanted that role. I talked to Jarell (Martin, a former Madison Preparatory Academy star) and coach (Jeff) Jones about how to do it.
“I had to come up big, meaning I had to give the team whatever they needed. I had to be a facilitator. I had to have the best attitude. I had to lead by example. I had to set the stage for the younger guys.”
Sampson achieved all his goals while leading Madison Prep to the Class 1A title last month. Now there’s some lagniappe for Louisiana’s top senior prospect - the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Farm Bureau/Mr. Basketball award.
It is the second time in three years that a Madison Prep player has won the LSWA’s top boys basketball award. Martin, the former LSU standout who declared for the NBA draft last month, won it in 2013. That’s when Martin and Sampson helped the Chargers to the Class B state title.
“This is a great honor for him . Brandon stepped up big for us,” Jones said. “The biggest thing he improved on was toughness. He had gotten by so long on just his talent. This year he was tougher and very unselfish.
“That loss (to Country Day) really hurt him. When he was a sophomore, Brandon always talked about winning three (championship) rings. Last year he didn’t realize everything it took to be a leader. This year he did and he took that role very seriously.”
Sampson didn’t have the gaudy numbers other top players stockpile. He averaged 15.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game as part of a balanced attack that featured multiple double-figures scorers.
“He’s not just a guy who can shoot from outside or drive to the basket,” Southern Lab coach Devan Clark said. “He does both. You could tell he was willing to sacrifice scoring to make the team better. You could tell he was the leader. He’s versatile and that’s going to serve him well on the college level.”
Sampson routinely made optional summer league games and workouts even when he returned late at night from summer showcases and or AAU tournaments.
“Basically, I just wanted to stay in the gym longer than everyone else,” Sampson said. “When everybody was still sleeping I got to the gym. In the summer I’d get in the gym at 5 a.m.
“After practice I’d either stay in the gym or go to another one. I’d shoot hundreds of shots from different places on the floor. I’d work on ball-handling, a little bit of everything.”
University High’s Joe Spencer and Brusly’s Harold Boudreaux see a bright future for Sampson, who led the Chargers to a 35-1 record. Madison Prep’s lone loss was to Mississippi power Callaway.
“He’s a scorer,” Spencer said. “It’s not just that he can shoot 3-pointers, he’s got range. And if you step out to defend, he’ll take you to the rim and finish.”
Boudreaux, a former LSU player, added, “I’ve seen him play the last three years. He’s got a high basketball IQ. He’s got some work to do to get physically stronger. I can definitely see him being successful at the next level.”
The only thing missing is a college choice. Sampson committed to St. John’s several months ago, but reopened his recruiting when the Red Storm fired coach Steve Lavin. He’s not expected to sign until sometime in late May.
For now, Sampson has what he needs.
“Going out on top with a state title is a big momentum boost going into college,” Sampson said.
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