Houston’s Jamal Shead goes viral for picking up trash following close loss at Alabama

Houston’s 14th-ranked men’s basketball team was on the wrong end of a tough — and controversial — loss at No. 9 Alabama on Saturday, one in which coach Kelvin Sampson and others on his staff did not exhibit model sportsmanship.

Sampson and the Cougars faithful were upset about a non-call on a last-second shot block by Alabama’s JD Davison to preserve the Crimson Tide’s 83-82 victory in Tuscaloosa, Ala. — a play that could have been called goaltending. It was a close call, but the ball appeared to be falling away from the basket and wasn’t above the circle of the rim, which suggests the no-call was correct.

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That said, Sampson was adamant in his postgame interview with reporters that it was a goaltend. Prior to his media availability, a viral image showed him refusing to shake Alabama coach Nate Oats’ hand. Another video showed a Houston assistant and senior forward Reggie Chaney kicking over a trash can and breaking a chair in frustration.

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It was a frustrating situation to be in for the Cougars — which makes the composure and class shown by sophomore guard Jamal Shead all the more impressive. Shead, who scored 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting and tallied one rebound, three assists and two steals in the loss, was seen in a now-viral video picking up the mess created in the aftermath of the game’s ending:

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The move was highly appreciated by Houston and Alabama fans, as well as neutral observers: