Houston got the kind of late-breaking roster boost that can change the feel of a season opener, and Chendall Weaver wasted no time making it count.
The fifth-year guard, who transferred to Houston in mid-August after signing a financial aid agreement, had been stuck in the middle of the ongoing eligibility fight tied to the NCAA’s newest five-for-five rule. After weeks of uncertainty, Houston Athletics said Weaver received a temporary restraining order from a Texas District Court and was cleared in time for the Cougars’ second game of the season against California at Lake Tahoe.
The order is only temporary. Weaver’s eligibility runs through Nov. 19, and after that he’ll need another extension or a temporary injunction to stay on the floor.
For now, though, that window covers Houston’s third game of the season against Jacksonville State at home, along with all three games in the Player’s Era Tournament in Las Vegas. Two of those matchups are expected to be highly competitive against top opponents.
Once he finally got the chance to play, Weaver looked like exactly the kind of piece Houston wanted. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound guard came off the bench for 15 minutes on Sunday night and brought immediate juice. He crashed the boards on both ends, cleaned up an early miss for a put-back dunk, then turned around, picked off a steal and raced down the floor for another dunk that lit up the Houston bench.
By the end of the night, Weaver had six points, six rebounds and three steals. It was the sort of debut that matched the reputation he brought with him to Houston in August.
Weaver has long been viewed as a strong fit for Kelvin Sampson’s program because of what he does away from the ball. He rebounds, defends on the perimeter and plays with relentless hustle. That profile has followed him through a college path that began at UT Arlington, where he played as a freshman, won conference Freshman of the Year, then moved on to Texas and spent the next three seasons in Austin.
He remained one of the better rebounders on that roster and could give them points, too. At Houston, the fit is obvious. The only question now is how his case plays out in court.
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Houston Just Showed Why Its Ceiling Might Be Even Higher
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What stood out just as much was how complete Houston looked in transition, piling up 14 steals, seven blocks and 20 fast break points. For a team already known for making games uncomfortable, this was the kind of showing that suggests there may still be another level to reach, especially when the pressure on one end keeps feeding easy offense on the other. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Just Made Its Playoff Push Feel A Lot More Real
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The bigger significance is how steady the climb has been. Houston has stayed in every AP poll since the season began, a sign that the national respect has matched the results on the field. For a program trying to turn a strong start into something lasting, the next few weeks will say plenty about whether this surge is the start of a bigger statement or just the latest step in a crowded Big 12 race. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Just Added To A Rivals Late-Season Mess
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For Houston, the ripple effect is obvious. The Cougars are still staring at a Colorado team that now has to treat every remaining week like a must-win stretch, and the next hurdle is a tough one against No. 16 Houston. Deion Sanders is under real pressure to keep the season from slipping away, and the margin for error has become so thin that one more stumble could turn the rest of the schedule into little more than a formality. [Read more 🡒]