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University Daily Kansan / Wednesday. April 8, 1992
SPORTS
Basketball recruiting to focus on juniors
By Lyle Niedens
Kansas sportswriter
Today begins another recruiting period for college basketball coaches, and for the next 16 days, Kansas coach Roy Williams will be among the hundreds of coaches surveying the top talent in the nation.
Kansas has one scholarship remaining for this season, but Williams has said he would save that scholarship. The Jayhawks then would have four scholarships to offer in 1992-93.
As a result, Williams and his staff will concentrate their efforts in the next two weeks on players that were juniors in high school this season, said recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons of All-Star Sports Publications, which publishes a recruiting newsletter. The earliest any of this year's high school junius will be able to sign a letter of intent is next November.
According to NCAA regulations, Williams is unable to comment on potential recruits, and he cannot have verbal contact with high school juniors until July1.
Gibbons said Williams would be
looking hard at primarily two types of players.
"They are really looking at a point guard," he said. "They also really want a big power player."
Gibbons said Kansas was interested in the following four point guards, all of whom he ranked among the top 30 juniors in the country:
6-foot-4 Randy Livingston from New Orleans. Gibbons said Livingston was the best junior in the country and would be the top player in the nation next season.
Gibbons said that Kansas had a chance at signing Livingston next fall but that he probably would pick North Carolina or Louisiana State.
"I really believe Roy's mentor at North Carolina, Dean Smith, will get Livingston," Gibbons said "But Kansas was in the hunt."
6- 6 Jacque Vaughn from Pasadena, Calif.
"Vaughn is very similar to Adonis Jordan," Gibbons said.
6-2 Bobby Crawford from Houston.
6-2 Bobby Crawford from House-
6-4 Jeff McLennis from Oak Hill
Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va.
Kansas could have an inside track at
signing Melnine, who is originally from Charlotte, N.C.
The Jayhawks have signed an Oak Hill player each of the past two seasons: Ben Davis, who was a freshman at Kansas this past season, and Chris Davis, a McDonald's High School All-American who signed with the Jayhawks in November.
Oak Hill coach Steve Smith said McInnis and Chris Davis were good friends who roamed together at the academy. He said Wilson saw McInnis play at Oak Hill in December, and former Kansas assistant coach Jerry Green saw him play earlier this semester.
Smith said McInnis also was considered North Carolina, North Carolina State, North Carolina-Charlotte and Connecticut, among other schools.
McInnis, who averaged 18.6 points and 10.1 assists a game this season, probably will want to go somewhere he can play a lot as a freshman, Smith said.
"I know he has an interest in Kansas," Smith said. "He is a very good player. I think he is good enough to start as a freshman from day one."
"They are really looking at a point guard. They also really want a big power player."
Bob Gibbons
College Basketball Recruiting Analyst
As for big men, Gibbons mentioned three players that Kansas was after. All are ranked among the top 30 juniors in the country:
6-11 center Richard Mandeville from LaCañada, Calif., who Gibbons compared to former Kansas center
6-10, 225 lb. forward Scott Pollard from San Diego.
Greg Dreiling
"Pollard is more mobile than Man-deville," Gibbons said. "He is a bigger, stronger version of Mark Randall."
6-11 center Rober Eggars from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Gibbons said that Eggars also would make an unofficial visit to Kansas.
The Jayhaws have also expressed interest in two all-state players from KY.
Wichita South High School coach Steve Eck said that 6-7 junior forward B.J. Williams, who has received mail from numerous schools, had narrowed his choice to five or six colleges.
Gibbons said Williams would be highly recruited nationwide next year, but probably would stay near home and play in the Big Eight Conference.
"Kansas is definitely among those schools," Eck said.
The other Kansas player is 6-5 junior guard Martin Lewis from Liberal. Lewis also is an all-state performer in track and might consider a school
where he can compete in both sports, Liberal coach Phil Stines said.
Stines said Colorado, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Washington State had also shown interest in Lewis.
Because Kansas had one scholarship remaining after signing Chris Davis and 6-7-forward Darrin Hancock from Garden City Community College, it had been rumored that the Jaya hawks were saving the final scholarship for forward Adrian Griffin, a 6-4 senior from Wichita East High School.
But Williams said last month that Kansas was not interested in Griffin, and Gibbons also said he expected Griffin to go elsewhere.
"I think Seton Hall will take Adrian Griffin". Gibbons said.
Hutchinson Community College basketball coach Steve McClain said that 6-7 forward Cortez Barnes had two choices to South Carolina and Texas.
Barnes, who attended Wichita Heights High School, signed with Kansas two years ago but failed to meet academic requirements and went to play for the Blue Dragons instead.
Justin Koung/KANSAN
In the first game of a doubleheader, Kansas' Leah Rogers tumbles safely into second base as Creighton's Krissy Carpenter tries for the tag.
'Hawks beat Creighton twice
By Chris Jenson
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas third baseman Camille Palmeti put on a defensive show yesterday as the Jayhawks swept a doubleheader from the Creighton Blue Jays.
Spitaleri, a two-time All-American senior, recorded eight assists and two putouts for Kansas in the second game.
"I think if I'm giving 110 percent, everyone else will to." she said.
The 'Hawks won the first game 1-0 and the second 3-2. Seven of the team's last eight games have been decided by one run.
"We're going to put a lot of emphasis on our hitting," said coach Kalum Haack. "Our top half of the lineup is scoring and the bottom half is not doing it."
Spitaleri not only sparked the team defensively, but she also drove in the team's only run in the first game.
With one out and junior Shamla Coa on second base, Spitalier slanded in a spike.
With a one-run lead, defense and pitching took over.
Sophomore Stephani Williams pitched her fourth no-hitter and 11th shutout of the season. She recorded 10 strikeouts in the game and needs two more to tie her total for last season. Shehas 154 strikeouts this season and a 17-2 record.
*Williams has been pitching some really good ball games,* Haack said.
in the second game, Kansas overcame a shaky first inning in which the 'Hawks gave up two runs.
Junior pitcher Jill Bailey faced seven batters in the inning but allowed
only two runs to score. She yielded two hits and struck out one in the second game. Bailey improved her record to 9-2, two victories better than her total from last year.
"This is probably the best game Jill has pitched all year," Haack said. "We just didn't give her any help in the first inning."
with the bases loaded and one out,
freshman Krissy Carpenter hit an RBI
single over third base. The Jayhawks
then scored the go-around run on a
single by senior Jennifer Frost
Trailing 2- after the top of the first inning, Kansas got one run back on an RBI single by Spitaleri in the bottom of the first.
The Jayhawks retired the next six Bluejay batters and added the final tworuns in the bottom of the third.
Kansas improved its record to 29-5
and moved to 10th in the latest NCAA ranking. The Jayhawks also are ranked first in the Midwest region.
"I'm not putting a lot of emphasis on it," he said. "I told them not to get big heads and just worry about playing with people. And most people are going to lay down for us."
Although Haack said the team would enjoy its ranking, he said he did not want the team to let the polls go to their heads.
Kansas will travel to Oklahoma City for the Cowgirl Classic on Friday and Saturday and will play a single game against Oklahoma on Sunday.
"We've had good leadership from our seniors and solid help from our benefactors."
Haack said the team had two main reasons for its success this season.
Former Kansas player, coach dies
Kansan staff report
Jackie Martin, a volunteer coach for the Kansas women's basketball team last season, died yesterday at the University of Kansas Medical Center, said Randy Attwood, director of University relations for the Med Center. Martin was 26.
She had endured a three-month long battle with leukemia.
Martin played for the Jayhawks from 1984-1988, earning four letters. She is the fifth-leading rebounder in Kansas history and is fourth on the
career steals list. Martin had her finest season as a junior in 1986-87 when she was named second team-All Big Eight Conference and was named to the postseason all-tournament team.
A memorial service tentatively has been scheduled for 4 p.m. tomorrow at Allen Field House.
The Jackie Martin Memorial Fund has been set up in her honor. Donations can be mailed to the fund at P.O. Box 3302, Lawrence, KS 65046.
Kansan staff report
SMSU tops Kansas 3-2 in baseball duel
Sophomore righthander Chris Corn pitched a complete game for the Jayhawks, giving up nine hits and three runs. He walked four and struck out eight in all of the season. Corn's record dropped to 3-8 after starting the season 3-0.
The Kansas baseball team lost to the Southwest Missouri State Bears 3-2 yesterday in Springfield, Mo. The Jayhawks dropped to 18-16. The Bears improved to 17-10.
Southwest Missouri State's Greg Respiz pitched 61/3 innings for the victory, giving up eight hits and two runs
Resz improvis to 3-2.
The Jayhawks pounded out 11 hits but left eight runners on base. Freshman leftfielder Josh Igou led the Jayhawks' offense. He was 3-for-4 with an RBI and hit his first home run of the season. Junior catcher Jeff Niemeier was 2-for-4 with two doubles. Junior first baseman John Wuycheck also went 2-for-4.
The two teams will play again at 3 p.m. today at Meador Park in Springfield.
Jayhawk pitcher earns Big Eight weekly honor
Kansan staff report
Kansas righthander Jimmy Walker was named the Big Eight Conference Pitcher of the Week for March 31-April 5.
Walker, a junior from Nickerson, was 1-0 for the week, pitching 7/23 innings for a 9-3 victory against No. 10 Oklahoma State Sunday.
On Wednesday, Walker pitched 9/3
innings against No.1 Wichita State.
striking out eight hitters and giving up one run. Walker did not get a decision in the game as the Shockers beat the Jayhawks 9-2 in 15 innings.
In his 17 innings of work for the week,
Walker surrendered 10 hits and four
runs. He struck out 10 and walked nine.
Walker is Kansas' first player to earn conference pitcher or player of the week honors this season.
Kansas senior takes a year off to hone his skills
Douglas, after good showing at fullback, moves to tailback
By Jerry Schmid
Kansan sportswriter
A year after starting eight games at fullback in 1909 as a junior, Maurice Douglas was on the scout team last season.
Douglas decided to sit out last season as a redshirt with the idea of gaining more experience at the position he recruited for back in 1988 - tailback.
The senior from Columbus, Ohio,
was relegated to a role usually
reserved for freshmen and walk-ons.
But it was by choice.
"The year off gave me a chance to refocus," Douglas said. "It was my decision, along with the coaches, but they left it up to me."
Douglas rushed for 259 yards and four touchdowns in 1990 at fullback. He has switched back and forth between fullback and tailback in his football
Douglas was in the running for the starting fullback job last fall with junior Monte Cozzens and senior Roger Robben, who eventually became the starter. The starting tailback position was safely tucked away by Tony Sands. Douglas said he did not duck the competition, but just needed a break.
career at Kansas.
"Playing time didn't affect my decision," Douglas said. "I saw myself as a starter but playing fullback had drained me. Being only 195 pounds, I was playing a position that I was a little small for it. It took its toll."
Douglas entered spring practice this season third on the depth chart at tailback behind junior George White and senior Chaka Johnson and ahead of freshman Terence Mays, Cozzens was the No. 1 fullback. Douglas said White's hamstring injury enabled him to get more playing time this spring.
Douglas said playing fullback had helped him when it came time to switch back to tailback.
"We all have different running styles," he said of his competition at tailback. "I think playing backfill gave me a little advantage because you are running up the middle for tough yards."
Running backs coach Vie Adamle compared Douglas' ability to play both backfield positions to that of former USC running backs, many of whom began their careers as fullbacks. Adamle said experience at the fullback position could help players develop a toughness.
"It's a real advantage to have a tailback that can play fullback also," he said. "It should really nail off for him."
Douglas said he did not expect any preferential treatment when he entered spring practice. He said he knew there would be stiff competition for a spot in the backfield he once used to call home.
"It's more than fair," Douglas said of his pre-spring spot on the depth chart. "I have to earn the spot and try
to work my wav back up."
In his redshirt season last year, Douglas played against the Jayhawks' defensive starters as a member of the scout team. Kansas' defense was ranked 29th in the country last year.
"It was kind of weird," Douglas said.
"I thought I had paid my dues. But I think the older guys had respect for me."
Adamle said, "The best thing to happen to him was to be on the scout team and work against the No.1 defense. He got a lot of carries and got a chance to work on everything."
But playing on the scout team took some transition for Douglas.
Adamle agreed and said other players respected Douglas for being a senior on the freshman-filled scout team.
"To an extent, he paid his dues," Adamele said. "But he played when he was a freshman. He did it as a senior and it took a special commitment.
As a freshman, Douglas saw time on the special teams and also had 43 yards rushing on 14 carries.
Peggy Woods/KANSAN
Kansas' Maurice Douglas runs drills during the first day of practice.