Bahamas trip gives Sampson early look

The Sunshine Auto Club threw a wrench in IU coach Kelvin Sampson’s plans. \nThe IU men’s basketball team was supposed to play four games during its Labor Day weekend trip to the Bahamas. Instead, the Sunshine Auto Club backed out of its Saturday date with the crimson and cream. \nBut that didn’t stop the Hoosiers from being a well-oiled machine.\nThe Hoosiers swept through their weekend competition, posting triple-figures in every contest and limiting their opponents to an average of 50 points per game. Still, Sampson already has a list of necessary improvements for the next time the team practices – Oct. 13 during Hoosier Hysteria. \n“I would like us to be a better defensive rebounding team and would like to see us communicate better on defense,” Sampson said in a statement, “but hey, had we not done this, our first practice would have been October 13.”\nThe foreign trip allowed the team to practice one week instead of waiting until the middle of October like most teams. Teams are allowed to take a foreign trip once every four years.\nIn his home away from home, freshman guard Eric Gordon led the Hoosiers in scoring for the weekend, averaging 27.3 points per game. Gordon has family on his mother’s side from the Bahamas.\n“The first people I called when I knew we were coming here was my grandparents,” Gordon said in a statement. “It’s like a Homecoming. I’ve spent a lot of time here.”\nThe Indianapolis native played through an icy night from the 3-point line to lead IU to a 106-46 win against the Bahamian Select team Friday. Gordon scored 30 points on 14-of-23 from the field. \nSampson was pleased with his team’s performance.\n“Number one, no one got hurt, number two, everyone tried and there is a lot of unselfishness on this team,” Sampson said after the first game. “We had 47 baskets and 28 assists.”\nThe defense caused 31 turnovers in the contest. \nIn the second game of the weekend, IU got off to a 28-1 start against the Guatemalan National team and never looked back. Led again by Gordon, with 33 points, the Hoosiers cruised to a 103-41 win. They outrebounded Guatemala 52-23.\nAfter the game, Sampson said he was impressed with the play of his point guards, freshman Jordan Crawford, sophomore Armon Bassett and junior Jamarcus Ellis.\n“We’ve got more guys this year that can play the point guard,” Sampson said. “Last year (former Hoosier) Earl (Calloway) had certain strengths and Armon had others. This year we have three guys. Ellis is a different type of point guard. He played that in junior college. He’s more of a player than he is a position guy.”\nDuring the last game of the weekend, Sampson’s squad proved why banks are typically closed on Sundays. \nPropelled by a 62-29 rebound differential, IU beat the Commonwealth Bank Giants 115-63. Senior forward D.J. White led the Hoosiers with 22 points, and Gordon and Bassett added 19 points each. \n“I’ve got to be a ball hawk on defense and point my team in the right direction,” Bassett said in a statement. \nNow back in Bloomington, the team will continue its strength conditioning and individual workout sessions until it can start practicing again on Oct. 13.