Samuels Sparks Shooting Stars Past Gauchos

Reporter Mike Sullivan has the game story on Samardo Samuels and his team's win ...

SOUTH JAMAICA, NEW YORK -- Size mattered the most in today's quarterfinal playoff game at IS8 for the Shooting Stars. The frontline of Ed Davis, Devin Ebanks, and Samardo Samuels were just too much for the quicker but much smaller Gauchos team.

Samuels powered his way to 27 points to lead the Shooting Stars to a 95-86 victory over the Gauchos.

The Gauchos did achieve a first quarter lead at 19-17 due to the speed of their backcourt of Kemba Walker, Jordan Theodore, and Chris Fouch. However, by the time halftime arrived, Samuels had scored 16 of his 27 points to help the Shooting Stars gain a 46-36 advantage.

The lead was 66-58 heading into the fourth quarter. The gritty Gauchos never quit too. Theodore started burying threes and Walker was terrific again at IS8. Theodore scored 19 points while Walker darted past Stars' defenders for 35 points, many of them in the final two quarters of play.

But whenever the fast Gauchos would score a bucket or make a run, the big bodies of Davis, Samuels, Ebanks and at times Quintrell Thomas just overpowered their opponents. And Samuels was usually ramming home an arching pass from one of his guards or scooping up a teammate's missed shot and slamming it through the rim.

Davis scored 14 points while Ebanks added 21 points. Erving Walker was solid in the backcourt and as a floor general. The Florida recruit had 21 points and made several dazzling passes to set up teammates for baskets.

Chris Fouch also had a big game for the Gauchos. He added 18 points, including four three-pointers. He had a big second half which helped the Gauchos make this a game and give the Shooting Stars a big scare.