Practice, Practice, Practice: Why Cretin-Derham's Sharpshooter 'Can't Miss'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- On Saturday at Target Center, Cretin-Derham Hall played Bettendorf from Iowa. They lost, but Sam Neumann made a statement to anyone in attendance: He can shoot.
The junior had a 39 point day.
"It's almost like I can't miss," he said.
His shooting prowess is the result of him being a classic gym rat. When Neumann sees an empty basketball floor, he finds a place of peace, refuge.
"Thing is: He's put the time in," said Cretin-Derham Hall basketball coach Jerry Kline. "He loves the game…just glad he is on our side."
Neumann also has support off court. His father played at Minnesota-Duluth, and his brother at Wofford. In other words: Neumann grew up in a gym.
"I played a lot of basketball after college, and I would bring them with me," said Chris Newmann, Sam's father. "They'd hang around the gym and shoot on the side…they just naturally developed a liking for the game."
Newmann stands 6-feet, 6-inches tall, and that helps with his perimeter game.
"He can handle the ball as well, so you can say he's a forward but we use him as a guard," Kline said.
He can make shots in games, because he practices when he's all alone on his playground.
"I love getting in the gym," Newmann said.
