Top 10 toughest UH players (under Sampson)

Looking at Justin Gorhams highlights (done by @pesik), it got me wondering

Those first few years under CKS, we were more of an offensive team. But with better recruiting, these last 4 years we’ve been elite defensively. Alot of guys have just bought into the culture of defense and rebounding. Rank 1 to 10, toughest players or best defenders at UH under Sampson. Here’s my list.

1a. Justin Gorham
1b. Nate Hinton
3. Dejon Jarreau
4. Galen Robinson
5. Corey Davis
6. Fabian White
7.Chris Harris Jr
8. Brison Gresham
9. Devin Davis
10. Marcus Sasser

Other names: Leron Barnes, Devonta Pollard, Dameyean Dotson, Rob Gray, Armoni Brooks, Quetin Grimes, Caleb Mills, Tramon Mark, Reggie Chaney

Have to give some love to Leron Barnes. Stayed in the program when it wasn’t cool and was kind of Nate Hinton before Nate Hinton. He would definitely be somewhere in my top 10, maybe somewhere around 5-6. Honestly have to have Corey somewhere in there as well. I know we usually talk about his offense but he was a dog on the defensive side of the ball as well.

Edit: posted before you added Corey

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Leron Barnes, you’re right about him. Liked his attitude.

Reggie Chaney has a chance to join that list with a monster upcoming season. I’m really hoping he joins the argument.

Fabian should definitely be in there unless we’re only talking players that have moved on

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You’re right about Fabian. To rehab from an ACL injury and comeback in less than a year and play well in the tourney, just so impressed by the guy

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Leron did EVERYTHING! He is coaching HS locally, good for him!

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Didn’t know that but its great to hear. I feel like a lot of our fanbase won’t even know who he was ten years from now, but he and every other player that first year, really helped set the foundation for what our program has become.

I think that Rob Gray was tough and had a very competitive attitude. I liked his attack mode on offense and defense. I wish some our current players had that “give me the ball and I will kick their butts” attitude that he had. I remember a player said in a couple of games, they just said “Just go take it over Rob” and he did.

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a name you didnt list that id put at #3 is devonta pollard

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I’ll call this my junkyard dog starting five.

  1. Galen Robinson
  2. LeRon Barnes
  3. Nate Hinton
  4. Justin Gorham
  5. Fabian White

First off the bench for the guards would be Dejon

First off the bench for the bigs would be Chris Harris

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Who do yall think could be added to this list: Mark, Shead, Chaney, Carlton, Roberts, Powell, Moore, Armbrester, Walker, or Francis?

I could see Shead and Armbrester. Armbrester if you watch his YouTube highlights plays like he drank 5 redbulls. Guys got a motor

Chaney seems like an obvious choice. Projecting down the road a little I could see Robert’s and Armbrester winning the culture award eventually.

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Pound for pound give me Corey Davis. Dude was a straight up killa in the court!

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Dejon is going to be my #1. He was tough in general, which is why he got our first triple double in decades, but he went out in a must win game in the NCAA tournament with a hip pointer and played through it.
That right there puts him over the top of the others that might otherwise be ahead of him.

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Move Dejon up.

He’s a savage!!

Proved it by playing through injury in the biggest games of his career.

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There’s tough and then there’s SAVAGE!

Going to miss him next season

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Dejon playing thru the hip injury, leading the team to a Final Four. The defense he played on Buddy Boeheim. Yall may be right. He should be #1

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Toughest to me means practicing well and playing hard on both ends.

  1. Galen Robinson
  2. Nate Hinton
  3. Corey Davis
  4. Dejaun Jarreau
  5. Justin Gorham
  6. Quintin Grimes
  7. Devonta Pollard
  8. Leroy Barnes
  9. Nura Zanna
  10. Marcus Sasser
  11. Devin Davis
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Definitely some recency bias for my list. Devonta and Leron, efforted and were unselfish players. And their games could’ve been even better if they had the Guy V Lewis Development Center during their tenure. Can’t argue against your list.

To be honest with yall, I’ve probably watched every Cougar basketball game these last 3 seasons. Before that though I probably watched only 60-75% games on TV. The seasons when Leron & Devonta played, I probably watched alot games, but the ole brain forgets things.

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