Cavs' Samuels begins preseason with victory

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

Jamaican forward Samardo Samuels came off the bench to score four points and grab one rebound in five minutes in his National Basketball Association (NBA) preseason debut game. His performance helped to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to an 87-72 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday.

Ajani Williams, president of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JBA), who spoke to Samuels after the game, told The Gleaner on Wednesday that Samuels was delighted with his performance, despite his brief stint on the court.

"He was very happy that he got five minutes on court, but I told him that if he is patient, by the end of the season he would be getting 20 minutes per game," said Williams, who also played in the NBA with Miami Heat.

The 21-year-old, Samuels, a six-foot, eight-inch former University of Louisville power forward/centre, who went undrafted after declaring for the draft at the start of the summer, signed a three-year deal with the Cavaliers, which will pay him (US$472,000) per year.

Adapting well

"He said he felt very comfortable our there with the flow of the game and he said he is in the best shape of his life because he has been improving on his endurance in practice," Williams said.

Williams added that Samuels also said head coach Byron Scott has been pushing them hard in practice, but he has been adapting well to the rigours of training.

"I think he can win a starting spot on the Cleveland team because I believe Scott is going to work him in gradually," he said. "He (Scott) wants to win and he is going to put the pieces in place to win and Samuels is also a winner," said Williams, who is serving his first term as head of the JBA.

"Samuels also said he has a lot respect for his teammate and fellow forward Antawn Jamison, because he much better than a lot of people think, and he has been learning a lot from him in practice," Williams added.