Sampson Carter Signs with UMass
Sampson Carter became the third player to sign with UMass during the early signing period late last week, joining Freddie Riley and Javon Farrell.
Carter’s commitment doesn’t come as a surprise to those who know him, as his ties with the UMass staff run long and deep. In fact, his older brother Shyrone currently serves on the UMass staff after having worked with Minuteman head coach Derek Kellogg at the University of Memphis.
“Sampson is a young man I have known for a long time,” said Kellogg. "I actually had him in summer camp at Memphis way back when he was 10 years old. I have watched him grow from a young kid to a great young man. His maturation process is something that I have watched closely…I love him as a person and I think he is going to be a great addition to our program. He can be a player that by his sophomore or junior year we will really be able to rely on him to be a high-level player.”
Prior to arriving at the Winchendon School, Carter starred at Ridgeway High School in Memphis. Last season he earned MVP honors of the Tennessee State Tournament as he led Ridgeway to a state title and a 34-3 record. He was also named Memphis Interscholastic Player of the Year after averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game on 59% shooting from the floor and 39% from beyond the arc. The Roadrunners finished the years ranked 24th in the country by ESPN.
Since arriving at prep school, Carter has solidified his reputation as a top notch forward helping Winchendon start the season with a 4-2 record.
“Sampson just needs to work on being physically ready to play at the college level and that's why he is going to prep school for an extra year at Winchendon,” said Kellogg. “He wants to be able to come to UMass and make an impact as a freshman. He will have the opportunity and I'm excited to coach him because he has the type of length and size and athleticism that fits in very well for the dribble-drive offense.”
Sampson Carter