Tuesday, February 14, 1978
University Daily Kansan
Douglas happy with role, record
Staff Photo by ELI REICHMAN
Although John Douglas can no longer be considered "the Franchise," he remains an important part of KU's drive to the Big Eight and national championships. He has compensated for his reduced scoring by vastly improved defense, often holding opponents to half their season averages.
Stand back
By BILL NEWSOME Sports Writer
He isn't referred to as "The Franchise" anymore.
Yes, John Douglas has taken on a whole new identity with this year's KU basketball team. He is no longer the premier scorer, the All-America candidate of Francee." John Douglas is simply one of the important cogs in the Jayhawk machine.
What a change.
Last year, Douglas, after transferring from John C. Calhoun Junior College in Decatur, Ala., after two seasons, was everything for KU. He led the Jayhawks in scoring by averaging almost 20 points a game, was the second leading scorer in the Big Eight Conference and KU's top score in 14 games.
THIS SEASON, Douglas is averaging just 12.3 points a game—11.4 in conference games—and ranks 22nd among scores in the league. He has led KU in scoring on four times.
But there is another major difference between the two seasons.
Last year, the Jayhawks posted an 18-10 record, finished fourth in the Big Eight and failed to qualify for the NCAA playoffs. This year, they have a glossy 28-24 record the Big Eight finished Pressed international in the United States International and the associated Press.
The team's success has left Douglas a happy man, even though he isn't pouring in the number of points that he was predicted to.
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*Why should I be disappointed when we’re winning like this,* he asked. *Just as long as we keep on winning, everything’s going to be fine.*
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DOUGLAS HAS assumed a new role for the Jahayhs. He has switched from being the team's major offensive weapon to becoming a strong defensive player.
"I think I'm making as big of a contribution," Dallas said. "I'm not in a slump, but I don't have to score 20 points a game like I did last year. If I score 10 or 12 points and play good defense, then I'm winning because anyone on this team must."
DOUGLAS HAS, indeed, played defense. He held Kentucky All-America candidate Jack Givens, who entered the Kansas game with a 25-point scoring average, to 10—the
same he allowed to Arkansas All-Alliance candidate Marvin Delin, a 20-point score.
"I'm concentrating a lot harder on my defense," he said. "It is just as satisfying for me to hold a guy like Jack Givens way back when I was able to score 28-20 points in a game myself."
DOUGLAS' scoring statistics from last year were impressive. He scored 20 points or more in 10 games, failed to hit double figures only twice in 28 games, scored 46 points in 19 games, and never ever played by a visiting player in a conference game—and made 34 against Missouri.
this year, playing an average of 10 minutes a game less than last season, he has made the 20-point mark only twice, getting 22 against Southern Methodists and Tampa Bay, though that was so much a part of Douglas' scoring last year, is still very evident.
"I don't have any doubts at all in my scoring, because the SMU and Arkansas games were about the only games this season where I've shot 15-20 times," said Douglas, who against Missouri on Wednesday became only the fourth player in KU history to score 800 points in two seasons. If I shoot that hat trick, Paul Bunyan doesn't need that, so in almost every game I only been shooting about 10 tirpes."
IT DIDN'T take Douglas long this season to realize that opponents had taken notice to his success. Defenses were suddenly keying on him.
"I've really noticed the zones—they seem to say to my seal," he said. "There's always somebody with a hand in my face. But the thing of it is, when a team puts more pressure on me, it leaves somebody else open and all a 'go to do is pass off.'"
Douglas' unselfishness may have hurt his chances for post-season individual honors. A members of last year's All-Big Eight team and all-tournament teams from the Holiday and post-season tournaments, Douglas produced a document on this year's All-America teams.
But the senior think that being on a winner is every bit as important as scoring points, even concerning the selections in this spring's National Basketball Association game.
"The TEAM's success hasn't caused me
to worry," said one who never whatsoever
had to have be a winner. "I don't
have to."
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