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Volume 126 Issue 65
kansan.com
Thursday, January 23, 2014
4.
COMMENTARY Hype doesn't help
Let's be reasonable this time around, please. It's easy to get excited, but next year, let's keep it realistic for the kid who could be ranked No. 1 in his class.
Let's not allow this to happen again.
On Monday, Cliff Alexander's Curie High School beat the No. 1 team in the nation, Monteverde Academy, on national television. Alexander — who will be playing for Kansas next season — scored 30 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and blocked five shots.
"A kid has a good game and they're comparing him to Amare (Stoudemire)," Self said. "It's just a different world that these kids are entering school with the hype."
After Monday's game against Baylor, Self indirectly mentioned Alexander, and his big game that aired on ESPNU.
Self went on to give an answer about Andrew Wiggins, even using the words "nowin" to describe the absurd expectations placed on KU's 18-year-old freshman.
Next summer, it will be Alexander who will travel from Chicago to Lawrence, bringing the hype with him. Students will daydream of Alexander dunks, ESPN highlights and 25-point games. They'll talk about how good he'll be, even though Alexander will be just another college freshman having to adjust to a game with higher speed, intensity, physicality and complexity.
The Layhawks have had a few players enter school with weight of being a top-ranked high school player. Xavier Henry averaged 13.4 points a game for Kansas and didn't quench all expectations for him. Josh Selby also underwhelmed fans in a somewhat notorious fashion, because he averaged 7.4 points as a Kansas freshman.
In August, seeing Wiggins on campus would invoke text messages to their friends about seeing their fellow classmate go to class. Next August, it will surely be the same for Alexander.
It's natural to be excited, but let's not overdo it. Expectations can weigh on a player, and while pressure is a normal symptom of playing for Kansas, it doesn't have to be unfair.
It looks like the Jayhawks will be gifted with another top-tier athlete and basketball player in 2014. Alexander has become known for his eye-popping numbers, and he did it again, on one of the biggest stages for high school basketball. As the numbers and national attention swells, the hype goes along with it.
CBSSports' Jeff Borzello's column Tuesday morning ran with a headline "Is Cliff Alexander No. 1. In 2014?"
Borzello wrote: "And coming out of this past weekend's event, the biggest talking point was about Cliff Alexander. As in, is the Chicago big man the No. 1 player in the country?" Now, Borzello didn't pump Alexander up in any unfair fashion.
SEE COLUMN PAGE 4B
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
Freshman guard Frank Mason reaches for junior guard Naadir Tharpe's hand after a timeout was called during Kansas' victory against Toledo on Dec. 30, 2013.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
LEADERSHIP PREVAILS
Naadir Tharpe's recent play kickstarts current 4-0 Big 12 winning streak
BLAKE SCHUSTER sports@kansan.com
Naadir Tharpe knew he didn't have a choice. As the most experienced player in a Kansas jersey, and with his team clinging to a three-point lead in the second half against Oklahoma State, Tharpe dribbled right up to Marcus Smart and looked to fight off the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year.
Except Tharpe couldn't get past Smart. As he tried to crossover, Tharpe got tangled with his defender and nearly froze as Smart took the ball out of his hands. Rather than panic or give up on the play, Tharpe watched as Smart tried desperately to corral the ball and promptly swiped it back. Two dribbles later Tharpe knocked down a long 3-pointer to give Kansas a little breathing room.
If his attitude on that possession wasn't indicative of his refined focus, his comments following the layhawks 80-78 victory certainly were.
"I have to be the leader," Tharpe said, his chest still pounding from a 21-point, six assist performance. "These guys haven't played in these games. I watched Tyshawn (Taylor) and Elijah (Johnson) and I have to lead out there."
It seemed he had all but forgotten nearly two months ago the Kansas offense had no one to run it.
During Bill Self's boot camp we were told that Frank Mason would steal starting time
away from Naadir Tharpe, and whether it was a legitimate threat or wishful thinking, by the time December rolled around Self had to try something.
Through his first seven games Tharpe averaged 6.6 points, 4.6 assists and 1.7 turnovers. It wasn't so much that Tharpe's play was hurting the layhawks as it was them needing someone who could get the offense into a rhythm.
Mason got his chance to start on December 7 in a loss to Colorado. On the final play of the game, Mason let his man get to the side of him and heave a game-winning three at the buzzer. Three nights later the Jayhawks committed 24 turnovers in a road loss to Florida with Mason starting again. Self returned to Tharpe the following game against New Mexico.
"That position in particular is a tricky one," ESPN college basketball reporter Dana O'Neil said. "You're viewed as a leader and when you're not in there the obvious inference is that you're not leading."
The worst part was that most of the other pieces were starting to excel. Andrew Wiggins displayed unconscious shooting at Florida, Joel Embiid was starting to force Tarik Black to the bench and Perry Ellis had scored in double-digits nearly every game. All the offense needed was a consistent point guard.
That's when Tharpe started to channel his inner Tyshawn and
"The combination of leading the team in position and personality had to come from somewhere" O'Neil said. "The position he plays, coupled with the fact that comparatively he's older and has a little more experience I do think he's critical."
Elijah, in a good way.
Against New Mexico Tharpe put up 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Two games later against Toledo he scored 21 points with 11 rebounds and since conference play began Tharpe has averaged 13.2 points.
Without his performances, Kansas likely wouldn't have taken down four consecutive ranked teams - the first time any college basketball team has
accomplished the feat since North Carolina in 1996-97. On Tuesday, Tharpe was named the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week.
"I never thought Naadir Tharpe would win any national player of the week honors when we recruited him." Self told the Scott Van Pelt Show on Wednesday. "What he did in those two tough games last week, he's been really good for us"
But Tharpe isn't the only Kansas point guard to grow from his experiences. After Asika Booker nailed his long 3-pointer over Frank Mason to help Colorado beat Kansas, Mason was faced with the same situation against Oklahoma State.
Guarding a two-point lead with five seconds left, Mason stuck himself on Le'Bryan Nash as he dribbed down the court. With Mason taking away all his breathing room, Nash never had a chance to get a look at the rim, let alone take a shot.
"The biggest thing with both Naadir and Frank is that they're playing with much more confidence," O'Neil said after attending Kansas' last two games. "They're more assertive, more aggressive, but not careless. I think they've found that line."
Edited by Blair Sheade
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Oklahoma State senior guard Tiffany Bias attempts to drive in a goal through a dense Kansas defense. Kansas fell to the Cowgirls 64-56 on Jan. 22 in Allen Fieldhouse.
JAMES HOYT/KANSAN
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Cowgirls defeat Jayhawks 64-56
"They did a really good job in the second half of just pressuring the ball," junior guard Natalie Knight said. "Halfway through the second half they turned their defense up a notch, we should have done the same thing."
IKYIF PAPPAS
After going 5-11 from three on their way to a six-point halftime lead, the Jayhawks were ice cold in the second, shooting a dreadful 23 percent from the field.
sports@kansan.com
On a night where the Jayhawks lived and died by the three ball, their 1-9 line from beyond the arc in the second half tells you all that you need to know.
Things looked dandy for Kansas in the first half, as the possibility of a second-straight upset over a top-10 squad loomed in the minds of the 1,784 fans gathered in the Allen Fieldhouse.
Oklahoma State defeated Kansas 64-56 in Allen Fieldhouse Wednesday night, helped in part by Kansas' massive offensive collapse over the game's final 10 minutes.
The Jayhawks seemed to be totally unfazed by Oklahoma State's much-praised defense, registering 34 points on 41 percent shooting. Freshman guard Dakota Gonzalez was a surprise contributor in the first half, finishing with eight points and sinking both of her 3-point attempts. She also drained a long two as the halftime buzzer sounded to swing the momentum Kansas' way as both teams entered the locker room.
"Offensively we just had poor poise, composure and
discipline," coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "Terrible shot selection which turned into transition opportunities for them."
But Kansas was unable to hold onto that momentum after the intermission. The Cowgirl's
SEE WOMEN'S PAGE 4B
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