Sharon Drucker: Winner of Samuels vs Sofo matchup will win series

Only a handful of players outside the NBA can boast to beating European varsity Maccabi Tel Aviv in their first-ever Euro-career debut. Samardo Samuels is one of them.

Samuels registered 14 points and 5 rebounds for Hapoel Jerusalem during an 84-82 road-win against Tel Aviv over his first non-U.S. soil appearance.

Tonight, in his pro-Euroleague playoffs debut, Maccabi once again stand between the 25-year-old Jamaican center and victory for Italian powerhouse Armani Milano in Game 1 of the best-of-five games series.

Then Jerusalem coach Sharon Drucker, who recently guided Israeli-League mid-major Hapoel Gilboa/Galil into the domestic playoffs, believes the 6-foot-9 center is Milano's x-factor to winning the series against Maccabi, en route to the Euroleague Final Four.

"Samardo (Samuels) against Sofo Schortsanitis is the most important matchup because he's one of a few players in Europe that can muscle up against Maccabi's Greek center," Drucker told Sportando during a phone interview.

Samuels' averages aren't that impressive as he registers 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds. "Samardo is very strong and isn't afraid of making contact. His foot work is slow and he doesn't run the floor with ease, so he prefers guarding big and bulky centers, rather mobile power-forwards. If Samuels can keep Schortsanitis outside the paint and prevent him from getting touches in the low-post, that would be a huge advantage for the Italians," Drucker added.

After rejecting offers from Connecticut, Florida, Georgetown and North Carolina, Samuels decided to attend the University of Louisville and spent two seasons under legendary coach Rick Pitino, where he led the Cardinals in points and rebounds during the 2009-2010 season.

Though he went undrafted in 2010, Samuels signed a three-year $2.3 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, shutting down Drucker's hopes of recruiting the Jamaican to his Euroleague-like roster featuring P.J. Tucker and Bobby Brown for Greek side B.C. Aris.

"Samuels was sold on playing in the NBA, but we kept in touch and after he failed to make the D-League playoffs with the Reno Bighorns, he agreed to join Jerusalem (on April 2013). It was a rough transition for Samardo because he was overcalled on fouls and traveling, but he had lots of potential, the coach recalled.

"Samuels was one of the stronger-built players I've ever coached. His abdominal muscles are very strong and his upper-body figure is impressive. I remember our player would monitor his weight room workouts because they were unique and resembled that of a weightlifting competitor," Drucker reminisced.

Last summer, Drucker received a phone call from Milano's newly acquired head coach Luca Banchi who was intrigued. By the time their chat was over, the Italian had made up his mind.

"Samardo signed with Hapoel for $25,000 monthly and I told him he could earn much more if he's willing to learn, and he was," Drucker concluded.

"Samardo Samuels is doing a great job for Milano and the team is very happy with him both on and off the court. I strongly believe Milano will exercise his one-year extension, it's in the $600,000 ballpark," a source close to the team commented. 

Story by David Pick

Twitter: @IAmDPick