Section C·Page 2
The University Daily Kansan
Friday, February 26,1999
T.J. PUGH
• 6'8"
• Forward
• Omaha, Neb.
JELANI JANISSE
• 6'3"
- Guard
- Granada Hills, Calif.
CHRIS MARTIN
- 6'2"
- Guard
- Overland Park
A goodbye tribute
Basketball seniors reminisce; some await uncertain futures
By Melinda Weaver
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas men's basketball has formed a tradition of quality seniors whose leadership provides a backbone on which younger players can build.
The senior class of 1999 continues this tradition. Ryan Robertson, T.J. Pugh, Jelani Janisse and Chris Martin help lead the team through this season.
Ryan Robertson
Robertson said his relationship with Coach Roy Williams was one of the main reasons he chose to go to Kansas.
Robertson joined the Jayhawks from St. Charles (Mo.) West High School in 1995.
"I chose KU solely because of Coa Williams," Robertson said. "Our望客."
relationship grew from the time I was a sophomore in high school, and I saw that this was where I wanted to play. The atmosphere is unequaled."
Robertson said some of his best memories were of winning at Allen Fieldhouse.
"I enjoyed cutting down the net when we won the conference title," Robertson said. "I loved being in Allen Fieldhouse and celebrating as champions."
For Robertson, the future remains uncertain but offers a variety of options.
"There are several I could do," Robertson said. "First, I hope to play somewhere, either in the NBA or overseas. I may want to try coaching, or I may do something with the business degree I will be getting this spring."
No matter what he decides to do, Robertson said he has enjoyed his four years at the University.
"It's been great," Robertson said. "It's been a very special time. I'll always be able to look back on this time and think fondly of it, not just in one or two years but in 10 or 20 years. Not many players get to do what I have had the opportunity to do at KU."
T. J. Pugh
Thomas Joseph Pugh graduated from Creighton (Neb.) Prep School in 1995 as the second-leading scorer in Nebraska Class A as a senior, averaging 25.8 points a game.
Pugh said he chose the University because its tradition was unmatched anywhere in the country.
As a Jayhawk, Pugh has seen several great games and been a part of several great memories, but he said his favorite memory was being ranked No.1 in the nation.
"It's hard to imagine when I was 18 or 19, having to make such a big decision and making such a wise choice," Pugh said. "I just thank God for the wisdom he gave me to make this decision."
goes along with that," Pugh said. "I've enjoyed the camaraderie and competition on those teams."
"I love being No. 1 and be able to say you're No. 1 and all the fanfair that
Pugh's future plans involve avoiding a job until he's in his 30s and could include medical school.
Jelani Janisse
Janisse graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, Calif., in 1995 as a two-time Most Valuable Player for the basketball team.
After high school, he attended Los Angeles City College, where he earned All-American honors.
Janisse joined the Jayhawks in 1997 as a junior and played in 23 of 39 games.
Last season started slowly for Janisse because of ankle surgery, and frustration followed. He said he thought he had
recovered this season and hoped to see more playing time.
"I have adjusted better this season." Janisse
Janisse has not spent much time dwelling on the future, but he said he hoped to play football for the Jayhawks next season. He already has spoken to Coach Terry Allen about the prospect.
said. "It was hard leaving home, big California, the sun. I'm not happy with my playing time, but as long as the team is doing well, I'm happy."
He played defensive back and wide receiver in high school but quit as a sophomore when his coach urged him to pursue basketball.
Chris Martin
Martin, born in Tylor, Texas, traveled many paths before choosing the Kansas one and joining the basketball team as a walk-on.
As a senior at Shawnee Mission South High School, he averaged 20 points a game and was named to Lee's Summit's All-Tournament team.
After graduating in 1985, he headed to Iowa, where he played one season at Cornell College and averaged 9.1 points a game.
In 1996, he moved back to Kansas and attended Johnson County Community College.
Martin earned honorable mention honors in the East Jayhawk Conference and scored in double figures 20 times.
He joined the Jayhawks after that season during the 100th season of Kansas basketball.
"This is the best program I have been in by far," Martin said. "I enjoyed all of the things connected with the 100 years of basketball: Wilt, Dean, the conference championship and the season in general. There's not a program in the country that can compete."
Martin's future plans include one more year of school to pursue his degree in business communications. After graduating, he plans to find a job in that field.
- Huntington Beach, Calif.
NAKIA SANFORD
• 6'3"
• Forward/Center
• Lithonia, Ga.
Jayhawk leaders' paths to Kansas different
By Melinda Weaver
By Melinda Weaver
Kansan sportswriter
Although there are few women's basketball seniors, their importance is great.
Only two seniors, Nakia Sanford and Shandy Robbins, make up the class of 1999, but they have worked to step up their games and lead the team to another NCAA tournament appearance.
Nakia Sanford
Sanford, a 6-foot-3-inch center from Lithonia, Ga., said she wasn't sure whether she made the right decision to move from home. But she knows it was the right choice.
"It's a big change," Sanford said. "But I love Lawrence. I fit into the program immediately once I came. I knew I made the right choice."
Sanford stepped into the starting role as a freshman, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in her debut as a Jayhawk. That first game was only a preview of her contributions for the next four years.
"First of all, she is the finest athlete at her position today," coach Marian Washington said. "She's an inspirational leader."
Of all Sanford's KU memories, her favorite is beating Iowa last season in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament. The game was played on Iowa's home court.
Sanford said she remained unsure of her future plans, but she hopes to play overseas. She has taken four years of French and also can speak some Spanish and Italian. She will graduate in December
with a degree in broadcast sales. Shandy Robbins
Robbins, a 6-foot-1-inch guard from Huntington Beach, Calif., didn't find her way to KU quickly.
She spent her freshman season at Oregon before transferring to Central Arizona, where she earned all-league and all-region status, averaging 15.8 points and 7.1 rebounds a game.
On a recruiting trip as a junior, she knew her next stop would be Kansas.
"It has a great tradition, and the campus is pretty," Robbins said. "I just had a good feeling about it. It's unexplainable."
She said her role as a Jayhawk was even more important as a senior.
"I have to step up and show the underclassmen how to get it done," Robbins said.
Robbins's favorite memory is the same as Sanford's — beating Iowa in the Sweet 16.
"They were supposed to be the best recruiting class in the nation when they were freshman," Robbins said. "So they were just awesome. It was a big-time game, and we all on the same page. It was very exciting."
Robbins isn't ready to look to the future yet, but after she finishes her liberal arts degree in a year, she has plenty of options.
"I want to travel." Robbins said. "Maybe I'll do some acting. I don't know. I just want to go someplace new and do something different before I settle down in one place."
—Copyedited by Jason Pearce
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