Feb. 16, 2006
Written By Jennifer Reid -- Samford Sports Information
On Feb. 4, 2006, Samford's J. Robert Merritt moved into 10th place among the school's all-time scoring leaders. The milestone was just one of many in Merritt's career at Samford.
"It meant a lot to me, I didn't even know it was coming," Merritt said of the accomplishment. "It just says a lot about my teammates and the coaches we have here. This is obviously a great program here, and to achieve that kind of milestone is a big deal. It means a lot that I was able to do it."
Merritt's accomplishments at Samford are the fruits of a lifetime of hard work and dedication, a value he learned at an early age.
"My parents were probably my biggest influence," explained Merritt. "They taught me that hard work can get you whatever you want. You just have to be willing to work for it. I think that having them as my role models has really helped me."
His strong work ethic, combined with his talent, is the reasons he stands out as such a special player; especially to his coaches.
"J. Robert has had a phenomenal career here and is having an incredible year," said Samford head coach Jimmy Tillette. "I think he's a strong candidate to be player of the year in the league. He leads by achievement. He's not a big talker, and he's also one of our hardest workers. It's axiomatic in coaching when one of your best players is not one of your hardest workers, then you're going to have chemistry problems. I think a large reason for the positive chemistry we have is because J. Robert works so hard."
That hard work has truly paid off. This year Merritt has been among the top 3-point shooters in the nation, leading the country in 3-point shooting percentage for part of the season. As of Tuesday, Feb. 14, Merritt is ranked fourth nationally in percentage of shots made beyond the arc.
"That feels really good too," Merritt said. "It's another shocker. I've just been doing the same thing I've always been doing. We still have some games left, and hopefully we can keep it going. It's definitely a great thing, but I don't really pay too much attention to it."
Despite the phenomenal season he is having, Merritt has not dwelled on personal achievements. A true team player, his goals for the remainder of the season are for collective success, not individual accomplishments.
"Our goals are to win the rest of our games and to go into the conference tournament with a home game," explained Merritt. "Hopefully we'll be the first or second seed, and progress through the rest of the conference tournament and go to the NCAA Tournament."
Merritt's teammates have been an important factor in his success, and have truly influenced him during his tenure with the Bulldogs.
"I would probably say my teammates have influenced me the most since I've gotten here," Merritt said. "We are all from different places, and when we all get together and bring our unique characteristics, it's really something special. I've been able to learn a lot from them and we teach each other things every day."
Of course, he shares the same background with one teammate: his younger brother Joe Ross.
"Probably, my favorite memory was playing my first game with my brother," recalled Merritt. "That's something I'll never forget. It was just really special having him out there. It's great playing with him. In a million years I couldn't imagine having him on the team. There's so many different people that play Division I basketball and hardly any of them get to play with their brother. It's definitely been a good experience that I'll keep with me for the rest of my life."
As Merritt prepares to play in his final games as a Bulldog, he begins to look toward the future.
"My next step is still really undecided," Merritt said. "I majored in business management, so I might go back home and work for my dad for a little bit or do some stuff for my brother. I'd like to keep playing, maybe do some stuff overseas. So I'm just going to see what options I have after this year."
One thing he knows for sure is that the hard work that has brought him success on the court here at Samford will help him find success when he leaves as well.
