Sam Belau @PrepHoopsTN Summer Combine Recapture
Much prepared Sam Belau (Walker Valley) signed up first. He also appeared to be one of the most prepared for the event.
- 6'0" 183 pounds
- Wingspan -- 6'3 3/4"
- Height w/ shoes -- 6'1"
- Hand Span -- 8.5"
- Hand Length -- 9.0"
- Lane Agility -- 11.57
- 3/4 court sprint -- 3.31, 3.35
- Summer Combine Ranking -- #11
- All-Star Top 20
NBA Stylistic Comparison: 2015 Hornets Brian Roberts
College Projection: Fringe NAIA.
Sam's feet are quicker than they look. He doesn't have the burner makeup, but both the lane agility (11.57) and the sprint (3.31) stand as better than average camper times.
Sam Belau is 6-foot-0 as an high school senior. More combo than true point guard, Belau drew coach comments such as "much improved" and "really good shooter." Another coach from the event labeled him a "smart basketball player."
Weaknesses for Belau include: Changing pace, offensive rebounding, size for position (combo), upper body strength.
Though Sam boasted a nice amount of strength, as one of the oldest campers, he should have been the strongest physically in the building. He gets good elevation on his jumper, caused by presumably strong legs. His times are pretty good for all running tests tool. While he does have some muscle in the upper body, there is more development needed to get him a college spot. To clarify, Sam's strength is better than average. It can be better.
Shot mechanics, conditioning, help-side defense, and off-the-dribble shooting hopped off the page with Sam. He is a wonderful shooter from mulitple points on the floor. His release is a touch slower than some, but the effortless stroke probably doesn't need much tinkering because of the deadly accuracy.
To become a steady point guard Sam Belau needs to be vocal and command attention. Teammates need to know what he knows at all times. Sam can impart a lot of basketball wisdom. At least in this limited setting he didn't communicate too much. Seniors like him need to assert themselves and even if he wasn't a leader...communication is mandatory on defense. Who is where? What are they doing? Talk, talk, talk.
Considering how far Sam has come in the last two years he might be able to summon a couple college offers with continued development. Expect him to play through his senior season and perhaps attract a sprinkling of offers late.
