4B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 9, 2005
Freshman shoots for marquee play
Rylan Howe/KANSAN
BY KELLIE ROBINETT
krobinett@hansan.com
KANAN SPORTSWRIETER
Jeff Hawkins, junior guard, and Darnell Jackson, freshman forward, wait to check in during the game against Missouri on Sunday afternoon. In that game, Jackson logged eight minutes and grabbed two rebounds. After sitting on the bench for most of the season, Jackson has challenged himself to work harder in practice.
When Kansas coach Bill Self checked the voice mail on his cell phone three weeks ago, he listened to a message unlike any other.
Freshman forward Darnell Jackson called Self to say he wasn't taking advantage of the opportunity Self was giving him, and things were about to change.
change.
"For an 18-year-old kid to say that shows you quite a bit." Self said.
The phone call came as a surprise to Self because the day before Jackson called, Self admitted that he thought he wasn't giving Jackson a fair opportunity at playing time.
After being buried on the bench for most of the season, Jackson didn't get down. Instead, he challenged himself to work harder in practice, and Self took notice. Recently, he has increased his playing time and has been one of the first forwards to come off the bench in a game.
starting forwards, junior Christian Moody and senior Wayne Simien, he believed it was his duty to elevate his game in practice.
in practice. "I just had to turn my life around and start looking at the positives," Jackson said. "I like to be on the court during games and to do that I had to start doing things in practice. I've just been playing hard."
"Since we had that conversation, it's like a light has come on,"self said. "He realized that
there were no more free lunches. It's unfortunate that it happened late in the season, but he's a much better practice player and is giving himself the opportunity to get into games now."
Jackson said it wasn't always easy for him to stay upbeat, but finally realized that his time would come. Though he never felt he was on the same level as
Giddens told Jackson to watch the others, because he's as athletic as those guys, and he just needed to get out there and show people what he could do.
The Oklahoma City native said that Self stressed turning hard work into a routine. It wasn't enough for him to set screens and rebound well in the occasional practice — it had to be done at all times.
In addition, Jackson said he was able to turn the corner because of the support sophomore guard J.R. Giddens gave him. Giddens is also from Oklahoma City, and is a close friend of Jackson's.
school.
"I was thinking this would be just like high school," Jackson said. "But I figured out that it wasn't. This is a Big 12 school, you know, Division I. It's a lot better competition."
"He's really talented," Giddens said. "He's starting to get a feel for the game. He's made some vicious dunks in practice, and he's only going to get better. I'm proud of him."
The idea of giving maximum effort hit home with Jackson because he never had to try his hardest to be good in high school.
Since Jackson began playing with a renewed attitude he has been fighting for loose balls up and down the court.
He has attacked rebounds like never before, and set screens to get the guards open.
In the last three games he has played an average of 9 minutes. He has only scored five points in that time, but he played the self Self wanted him to, and at 6-foot-8 tall, 240 pounds, he's given the Jayhawks a much-needed inside presence.
Jackson said that he was happy about the minutes he is getting, but still thinks he won't be a key contributor for Kansas until next year. He is, however, excited about his new role filling in for Moody and Simien, and hopes to play like an NBA All-Star in the NCAA Tournament.
"We need someone besides Moody and Simien to play," Self said. "I like how Darnell is playing. He's a body down there."
"Coach told me he wants me to play like Ben Wallace," Jackson said. "To do that I've got to block every shot, get every rebound and take charges. That's my role right there."
Edited by Jennifer Voldne
Player's memory pushes team to the end
BY JASON ELMQUIST
jelmquist@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
The team dedicated this season to sophomore Connor Meigs, who died in a car accident during winter break. It fell one game short of finishing undefeated since the accident.
The KU club hockey team capped off an emotional second semester in Columbia, Mo., last weekend, when it played two games against the Missouri Tigers.
"The season was strengthened by and dedicated to Connor Meigs," senior forward Joey Barghini said. "The second half was dedicated to him, and he will be in our memories for a long time."
On Saturday, the Jayhawks' 2-0 lead slipped away, and they were tied with the Tigers heading into the third period. Senior forward David Hall scored the first goal of the game for the Jayhawks, and his last goal of his career at the University of Kansas. Both teams scored one goal in the third, and the game ended in a tie. All three of Missouri's goals came off power plays.
"the special teams played a key role in the game," sophomore goaltender Zach Sias said.
Sunday's game was hard-fought, as was evident when both teams' captains were ejected from the game. The game was just as tight a matchup as Saturday's game was, as the teams were tied with three goals apiece heading into the third period. In the third period, however, Missouri outscored Kansas 3-0 to give the Jayhawks a 6-3 loss and the first and only loss since winter break.
"The game was very scrapy. At the end of the game, Missouri was cross-checking and throwing cheap shots, despite a three-goal lead," Sias said, "but we kept our class and did not retaliate. The whole while, the Missouri coaches just laughed about so many penalties being called."
Barghini, who had an assist in Saturday's game, finished his career with Kansas by scoring the final goal of the season.
The goal was shorthanded, meaning one of the jayhawks' players was in the penalty box. It was Barghini's fourth shorthanded goal of the season, and led the team in that category.
since I knew it was going to be the last game I ever play," Barghini said. "It's a nice feeling getting the goal, although it would have been better if we would have won."
Kansas and Missouri had faced off in the Jayhawks' home opener back in September, when the Tigers won 9-0.
"We bounced back showing progress, and played two of our best games all season. I couldn't be happier of how we have progressed," Barghini said, "and how the team was in shambles and how we've stepped up and become more focused and unified. The team will have many good years ahead, and I will be more than happy to be a fan of the team."
"It was an emotional game,
The number 32 patches they wear on their jerseys will be a permanent reminder of Meigs, as will the locker space he occupied in the locker room.
Meigs' jersey traveled with the team to Missouri and hung behind their bench, as it has for every game since his death.
"We are dedicating his jersey number and the place in the locker room where he always was," Barghini said, "so he will always be in our memory."
Rachel Sevmour/KANSAN
Joey Barghini, senior forward, slides over the ice looking for an open pass during the KU club hockey team's last home game against Oklahoma State Feb. 20 in the Ice Sports Arena in Shawnee. Barghini ended his Kansas hockey career Saturday in Columbia, Mo., with an assist and a shorthanded goal against the Missouri Tigers.
NFL
- Edited by John Scheirman
Linebacker signs with Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Kendrell Bell signed a seven-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday, Chiefs President Carl Peterson said.
No terms of the deal were released.
Bell missed all but three games last season with shoulder and groin injuries.
The Augusta, Ga., native had his best season in 2003, when he was an alternate Pro Bowl selection after recording 108 tackles and five sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.
The Associated Press
"We're pleased to acquire Kendrell's services and we think he will make an impact for the Chiefs in 2005 and beyond," Peterson said. "He's a quality football player, as well as a quality person."
COLLEGE BASKETBALL Creighton wins conference title
ST.LOUIS—Creighton leaned heavily on its bench and the usual barrage of three-pointers to win its fifth Missouri Valley Conference tournament in seven years.
Bell, 6-foot-1, 257 pounds, was an unrestricted free agent after spending four seasons with the Steelers. He was the defensive rookie of the year and played in the Pro Bowl in 2001, after recording 88 tackles, nine sacks and a pair of forced fumbles in his first season.
Reserves Dane Watts and Jimmy Motz combined for half of the team's 13 three-point shots, and the Bluejays pulled away late for a 75-57 victory over Southwest Missouri State in the championship game Monday night.
Motz was 4-for-7 from three-point range and scored 12 points for Creighton (23-10). Watts was 2-for-4 from three-point range and had 14 points.
Deke Thompson had 14 points and Anthony Shavies had 10 for Southwest Missouri State (18-12), which also lost the tournament championship game last year and was shut out of the postseason. The team has been in the title game five times in the last eight seasons, but hasn't won since 1992.
Coach Barry Hinson said his team would get an NIT bid this season.
Johnny Mathies was chosen as tournament MVP, and was joined on the all-tournament team by Motz, Nate Funk, Tamarr Maclin and Darren Brooks.
- The Associated Press
...
Here's to a season of wins from the folks in fins.
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