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The University Daily Kansan
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Sports
"We need to beat somebody, even if it's kindergartners. We just need to win in the worst way." — Sonja Hogg, Baylor women's basketball coach on her team's 0-4 conference record.
Inside: The Kansas bowling team had a Rockin' good time in Las Vegas.
SEE·PAGE 3B
Inside: Golf season won't get underway until February, but the Kansas men's team is ready to roll. SEE PAGE 3B
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2000
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Women don't expect warm Bears welcome
By Chris Fickett
By Chris Fickett sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas women's basketball team is used to pressure defenses.
But blocking them out of the arena?
Double and triple teams, traps and full-court pressure are all common tactics of opposing teams to stop the Jayhawks' offensive attack.
It might happen at 7 onight when the No. 23 Jayhawks (11-4, 2-1 Big 12 Conference) play at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas, to take on league cell-dweller Bavlor.
"When Kansas arrives, we're going to block the back door and not let them get off the bus," said Baylor coach Sonja Hogg. "That's the best defense we have against them."
Hogg was joking, but Baylor's situation
is serious.
The Bears have yet to win a Big 12 game in four tries this season and are 5-9 overall. Forward Danielle Crockrom, Baylor's leader in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks, is only a sophomore, and she has missed the last two games because of a team-rule violation.
Without Crockrom, who rejoined the team Monday but was not expected to start against Kansas, senior guard Mandy Hayworth (11.5 points per game) will lead the Bears' starters, which feature one freshman and two sophomores.
Compare that to the Jayhawks' offense, led by All-American candidate Lynn Pride (18.4 ppg, 9.1 rebounds per game), senior guard Suzi Raymant (14.3 ppg, 37 percent three-point shooting) and rejuvenated center play from 6-foot-4 Nikki White and 6-6 Kristin Geoffroy, and Hogg might have
sufficient reason to enact a Jayhawk blockade.
"They're so much bigger and quicker than we are," she said. "They're very athletic and have very experienced players. We're young and just have to improve with every game."
It may sound odd, but Kansas coach Marian Washington has as much respect for Baylor's offense as Hogg does for the 'Hawks offense.
The Bears' Hayworth appears to have a knack for breaking out in big games. In a loss to Kansas State (2-2 Big 12), Hayworth scored only eight points. In an 87-66 defeat against No. 25 Oklahoma (3-0 Big 12), Hayworth exploded for 22 points.
"We have been challenged with quick guards," Washington said, "and we hope that we will be able to defend against (Hayworth and sophomore Nicole Collins)
effectively."
The Jayhawks' Pride, who is from Arlington, Texas, played against Hayworth in high school and is excited to return home. Pride said that a large contingent of her family would make the hour drive to Waco for the game.
Tenon't's game marks the first half of a two-game road swing for the Jayhawks, who play Saturday afternoon against No. 15 Texas Tech. Looking at the schedule, it might be possible for Kansas to look past tonight's game and focus on Saturday's showdown in Lubbock.
But Washington doesn't think so.
"When we have a disappointing loss as we did with Nebraska, it really brings us back to Earth," she said. "I can't imagine this team overlooking Baylor. We have to win as many games as we can on the road. "We have to have this win."
"We have to have this win.
TONIGHT'S GAME
Who: No. 23 Kansas (11-4, 2-1) at Baylor (5-9, 0-4)
■ When: 7 tonight at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas.
Radio: 1320 AM.
Starters: Glynn Pride 6-2 senior 18.4 ppg, 9.1 reb
Fry Johnson 6-1 junior 9.9 ppg, 8.5 reb
C Nikki White 6-4 sophomore 3.8 ppg, 1.9 reb
G Suzi Raymont 5-11 senior 1.54 ppg, 5.5 reb
G Jennifer Jackson 5-11 junior 8.5 ppg, 2.3 reb
Notes: Kansas leads the all-time series 5...2... the last time the Jayhawks beat Baylor in Waco was a 85-68 victory on Dec. 30, 1994...Since the Big 12 champion is back, the Lone Star Division, Including Big 12 tournament games... The 'Hawks beat all six south teams last season... Along with Pride, sophomore reserve guard Selena Scott hails from the Lone Star State (Austin).
Foreign students jump right in
2 freshman athletes are making strides
By Sarah Warren Kansan Sports Reporter
When Vadim Gvozdetskiy was 13, he got the chance of a life time: The young pole-vautier was scouted out by the top coach in his native Russia
Surely he was on his way to the Olympics, training and learning technique with the cream of the crop, but when Vadim turned 15 his dreams were thrown for a loop.
His coach left - off to the United States.
For three years he virtually worked alone and captured the pole vault title in the Bubka Invitational in 1997.
"I was just in a Russian sports club, a junior club for track and field," he said. "But unfortunately the best coaches left for another country."
Then, after the Russian track and field season ended in July 1999, Gvozdetsky finally found his way to Jonesboro, Ark. There he lived with a host family and took an English class for international students, trying to find his way into competition.
On Dec. 29, he arrived at Kansas.
When he arrived in December, he joined a team that already boasted five international students, including one other freshman, Benaud Shirley of Portland, Jamaica.
"The people that he was in the United States with had called me about him wanting to come to the University of Kansas," said Rick Attig, vertical jumps and combined events coach. "I guess because of the economy over there a lot of the top coaches had left, and Vadim is like any athlete and wanted to get better and he had to get here to do that."
Shirley's story is more of the typical sort for an international athlete, according to Theo Hamilton, Kansas horizontal jumps and sprints coach.
"We have some contacts in Jamaica and one of them saw him and so we went and saw him at an international meet that he was competing in," Hamilton said. "We likeled what we saw, and we just
stayed with it. We recruited him and found out that he wanted to go to school here."
But, in choosing Kansas, Shirley was forced to choose between his fellow Jamaicans and a good education.
"I was reluctant at first. . . I had other offers. I wanted to go to George Mason University (in Washington, D.C.), a lot of Jamaicans go there," Benaud said. "But their academic program wasn't that good and so I decided to come here."
The Hamilton is happy to have him.
"He has proven that he is a really good student," Hamilton said. "But at the same time we know he's a good athlete."
But even good athletes aren't immune to culture shock.
"The food is really different," Shirley said. "They don't cook with a lot of spice here."
Coach Gary Schwartz isn't too surprised. In his 12 years at Kansas, he has coached international athletes from Canada to Kenya.
"In some cases, there are adjustments that are needed," Schwartz told. "The food can be a problem for many athletes. For others it is the cultural differences."
In fact the change in food was more upsetting than the change in weather for Benaud.
"I had never seen it snow before I came here, but it's just like at home in the fridge — well it's just like the flakes in there," Shirley said. "I had seen it on TV and stuff, too."
Gvodzetskily wasn't a stranger to snow, and he hasn't had any problems with the food. In fact, for him, it seems that language is the only cultural shock.
"His challenge right now is getting across what he wants to say. He understands a lot more than you might think, he just can't get himself across," Attig said. "But it hasn't been difficult coaching Vadim; it has been somewhat challenging. I've found myself having to clarify my words and terms."
Attig's words were clear enough though: Gvozdetskiy placed eighth at his first meet here, the Kansas Invitational on Jan. 9.
Russia my season ended in July. I think I'll do my best in the middle of the indoor season."
"I am still working on technique, and I'm having trouble with my ankle," he said. "Actually, for now I don't feel really good about my shape, because in
Shirely, too, is having injury trouble — trouble that kept him out of Saturday's Nebraska Triangular. But he expects to be in full force when the outdoor season rolls around.
"I'm looking forward to the outdoor season more than the indoor season," Shirley said. "But at the beginning of March it'll be cold. That's my problem — getting used to that."
He looked out the windows of Anschutz Sports Pavilion at the dismal January sky.
"Right now in Jamaica it's about 85 degrees," he said, grinning. "It's gotta be nice."
Kansas pole-vaulter Vadim Gvozdelkovslav in practice earlier this week. He arrived in Kansas from Russia in December. He placed eighth in his first meet earlier this month for the Jayhawks. Photo by Shelly Smith/KANSAN
Kansas jumper Benaud Shirley goes through a plyometric workout last week at practice. Shirley chose to come to the Kansas from Jamaica both for a good education and to compete on the track and field team. Photo by Shelby Smith/KANSAN
Kansas fans should be thankful for talent-heavy men's roster
I've heard it countless times this basketball season, and I've even caught myself saying it. I've heard it on the radio, I've seen it on television, and I've heard it enough on campus that the Board of Regents is considering adding it to the school seal.
"The Kansas Jayhawks are relying only on talent to win games," every so-called hoops aficionado is quick to say about Kansas' apparently disappointing 15-2 record. But instead of struggling with this thought, Kansas fans should ask themselves one basic, elemental question: "so what?"
People in Jayhawkland try to ignore the fact that talent is this team's No. 1 strength. So what if the Jayhawks are relying "only" on their talent to win contests? Kansas is sitting at a perfect 4-0 in the league and is ranked No. 7 in the nation, something I don't hear very many complaints about.
If talent was money, this team would be rich beyond its dreams, and this team is talented enough to go deep into the NCAA Tournament. Deeper than the 'Hawks have been in years.
Eric Chenowith — despite the deserving criticism of late — remains the top center in the Big 12 Conference. This may be more of a knock on the big man talent leaguewide than a compliment to
Chenwith, but it's worth noting nonetheless
Mike Rigg
columnist
sports@kansan.com
Kenny Gregory in the midst of their best seasons yet — easily would be go-to offensive players on any other team. In The Jayhawks' balanced attack, however, both players are averaging less than 15 points per game, showing how hard it is to spread out the scoring in this talented bunch.
Players such as Nick Bradford and
But it isn't good enough for the fickle fans, as the "talent only" phrase continues to ring in the ears of every Jayhawk fan from Leavenworth to Liberal. But the biggest problem with "talent only" is that no one quite understands what it means.
Kansas is disciplined enough to compete for a national championship despite the occasional turnover and foul problems.
See BASKETBALL on page 2B
Axtell delivers amid Texas cynics
Sharpshooter hits key shots despite boos
By Shawn Hutchinson sports@kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
Certainly those steady cries of "Lauuuuke" ringing in all corners of Texas A&M's Reed Arena on Monday night weren't performed with the total sincerity.
Luke Axtell, the 6-foot-10 sharpshooter of the seventh-ranked Jayhawks, played in the Lone Star State for the first time in a Kansas jersey since transferring from the University of Texas in 1998.
As expected, Axtell was n't greeted with open arms. The Aggie fans sneered cries of "Luuuuuke" when Axtell came into the game early in the first half, booed when he hit his first
"I think one guy even made a sign," Axtell said, conceding that the jeering will be even worse when Kansas plays the Texas Longhorns next month in Austin. "I don't even know what it said."
three-pointer, then cheered when he missed a layup.
After the game, Axtell reasoned that the A&M fans weren't necessarily upset that he was wearing a Kansas jersey. They were upset because he is a former Texas Longhorn, and since Longhorns and Aggies aren't exactly boson buddies, he was a subject of A&M ridicule from the start.
Axell: Had five rebounds and nine points
As for that guy's sign, it's probably best that Axtell didn't read it. Especially after the way he sliced up the gut of the A&M defense with two long three-pointers in the first half.
15 : 15 w i t h 13 : 11 remaining in the first half. Moments later. Axtell answered A&M forward Larry Scott's
Axtell nailed the first three from the top of the key, which tied the game at
three-pointer with one of his own and tied the game at 20-20.
But Axtell finished the game in a slump, missing his last four shots from the floor. His total on the night—two-for-eight shooting, five rebounds and nine points.
"Our defense was fairly decent the whole game," Axtell said. "Our shots fell and that was it."
Not blazing totals, but good enough to help Kansas to a resounding 78-57 victory.
After Kansas' 97-82 victory against Nebraska on Saturday night, in which Axtell led Kansas in scoring for the first time with 15 points, Kansas coach Roy Williams said that he had only one criticism of his junior guard/forward.
"The only negative thing I said to him after the game is that I think he has to do a better job of helping us out on the backboards," Williams said.
Axtell recorded only one rebound against Nebraska in 13 minutes of play. After his five-rebound and 18-minute performance against A&M, Axtell is seventh on the team in rebounding at 2.8 per game.
4.
Still, Axtell's shooting seems to outweigh his rebounding deficiencies.
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"He's a heck of a threat," Williams said. "Even when he doesn't shoot it, guys are running out at him and that opens it up inside."
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