THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Sports 2
Vol. 88, No.
Wednesday, August 24, 1977
"I believe we have greatly improved our quickness and speed. I also believe that we have some people capable of making immediate contributions which should help our depth situation significantly." Ted Dorn 1977
Newcomers loom in cage picture
By JASON NUSS
Sports Writer
Encouraged by their team's experience and depth and an apparently outstanding recruiting year, University of Kansas is among the top schools they are eagerly awaiting the 19-7-8 season.
The Jayhawk: return nine lettermen from last year's squad, which finished at 18-10, and signed five recruits, including two prep All-Americans.
graduation, forward Herb Nobles and guard-forward Cyril Barnhower. The loss of Nobles will be felt the most. He started all 28 games with a 5.4 rating and was second in scoring with a 14.8 average.
The 'Hawks lost only two lettermen to
Barnthouse had a 1.2 scoring average in 15 games.
THE KU coaching staff will have two new faces. Lafayette Norwood and Bob Hill have been hired to assist head coach Ted Owens, now in his 14th year. Norwood and Hill
Darnell brings act to KU
By GARY BEDORE
Sports Writer on the streets
"There's talk on the streets
replaced Duncan Reid and Sam Miranda,
who both resisted at the end of last season.
at sounds so familiar
Everybody's watching you"
" "New Kid In Town." The Eagles KU's new kid in town is freshman Darrell Valentine, and he quickly has become one of the basketball team's unprompted contenders.
The Jayhawks, who have finished no higher than fourth in the Big Eight the past two years, should contend for the league crown this year, the coaches say.
Since Valentine signaled a national letter-of-incent to attend Kansas in May, KU fans have been dreaming of things to do. They've won Eight championship in the near future.
Some newspapers already have begun comparing Valentine to former KU great Jo White, and excitement is brewing in KU basketball circles.
"The excitement is great, but along with excitement there is pressure. You can't commre me to Jo Jo White unless I
turn pro and make the kind of money he does," Valentine said with a smile.
VALENTINE SIGNED WITH Kanasac a few weeks after the 'Hawks signed Valentine's high school coach, Lafayette Norwood. Norwood was hired to fill one position, vacant at vacancy. A departure from former KR assistant coaches Sam Miranda and Duncan Ree.
"That was a big factor, along with KU being in my home state and all the goodies that come with that," Valentine said. "I'm not far from home. My brother went here, and it's a good school in academics and sports."
Valentine said one reason he signed with KU was Norwood's joining the KU staff.
VALENTINE SAID he was recruited by all the major universities in the country. Norwood estimated that 200 schools contacted his most prized pupil.
photo by DAVE WILLIAMS/Wichita Eagle and Beacon
Valentine puts in another two points.
If Valentine plays as he did in high school, KU rooters will be forever thankful he didn't choose "somewhere else." His high school credentials are enough to afford drift from the KU's Memorial Stadium to basketball at Allen Field House.
“There were so many choices that I didn’t want to make the wrong one,” Valentine said. “If you make the wrong one, you’re going to be played anywhere else in the country.”
rus statistics indicate steady improvement during his years at Wichita Heights High School. Valentine averaged 15.9 points a game his sophomore year, 18.7 as a junior and 26.1 as a senior, shooting 54 per cent from the floor. He also averaged 6.8 assists and seven steals a game during his senior season.
"We SAT down and told him what he could do, and he sacrificed to be successful." He says that students have good ability and will only do much, and then that's it. With Darnell, he has the skills and also believes in his passion for arena, area, to himself he's number one.
VALENTINE WAS regarded as a consensus prep All-American after being so honored by Parade Magazine, Street and Smith's Basketball Yearbook, Scholastic magazine, Basketball Weekly, McDonald and Newpaper Enterprise Association.
Norwood said Valentine's success in high school could be attributed to Darnell's following goals the two set for his career.
"He works physically hard and that enhances his mental attitude."
Norwood said Valentine's attitude might help him win a starting job in KU's backcourt this season.
"My goal is to come right in and play, but if not, I'll have to adjust to that too." Valentine said. "Hopefully I can help right away."
VALENTINE, WHO helped lead Wichita Heights to a state title and an undefeated 23-0 record last season, said he hoped KU would run the ball more this season, because that was the only style of basketball he had played.
With guards like fellow recruit Moe Fowler, Valentine, and returners Clint Johnson, Hassan Houston and John Doughee might run more than in recent years.
"We have the potential to be a vex, outstanding ball club." Norwood said. "We have good balance in experience and outstanding depth, which will be a plus for the team. Everybody will be competing for a job, with the best player surviving. It will be like the law of the jungle, the best will survive."
"SUCCESS DON'T go to his head," Norwood said. "DON'T show his uniqueness as a person. He didn't allow success to affect him. He never affected his work hard on the court, or his production in the play." The professor makes Derrick the person he really is.
"I only know how to play a running type of game," Valentine said. "My game isn't as effective when I slow it out, but the only way is the only way I can work on a sweat."
"There were a lot of guys in the country who got the same awards as me. I'm just happy that I've been doing something with my life and not wasting time. That's what you work for and hope to achieve."
Concerning his success, Valentine said, "Some guys might get a big head. The awards helped my ege a bit, but Ive always been the same type of person I've always been."
Valentine speaks confidently but also shows a great deal of modesty while talking.
"The trip was nice, but it wasn't like the U.S. Wings weren't as convenient and there was some racism against them," she said. "Journeys just to get served in a restaurant."
ONE OF Valentine's achievements was being a member of the U.S. High School All-Star team that toured Europe. The U.S. team was undefeated, and Darnell was the second highest scorer on the team.
Right now, Darnell Valentine is not only a freshman basketball player, but he's a freshman excited about starting college.
He said the competition from foreign teams was weak, but that some of the countries' individual players were good athletes.
"It will be a challenge getting used to a new environment and new responsibilities, but I'm excited."
MOST OF the depth, according to Owens, is found at guard. Friend stands moustache Darnell valentine and Wilmere Fowler will join seniors John Douglas, Clint Johnson and Milt Gibson, junior Brad Sanders and sophomore Hasan Houston.
So are we, Darnell, so are we.
"With the outstanding group of guards, we may play three perimeter players, one with some size," Owens said. "Last year we played three 6-2 players at times and it worked well, although it made it tough to defend against some people."
Owens hopes the guard corps can give KU quake-aware something the Jayhawks have hunkered down on.
"I HOPE we can play three very active people," Owens said. "This will give us a chance to fast break and play pressured defense. Of course, we can't make too many
predeterminations on how we'll play. It depends on our heat output comes along."
Leading the group of guards will be All-Big Eight performer John Douglas. A 6-2 senior from Leighton, Ala., Douglas averaged a career-high seventh competition, second best in the conference.
"Douglas is one of the finest shooters around," he said, "a heady skill and over personality well-rounded.
DOUGLAS WAS third in rebounding on the laysup with a 6.1 average and led the team to 24 points.
He erupted for 46 points last season against Iowa State, the third-highest single-game total in KU history. Only Wilt Chambers and Bud Saludwal's 50 rank higher.
Another returning starter at guard should be Clint Johnson. A three-year letterman from Leavenworth, the 6-2 senior last year, led the team in points and out 70 assists, second-highest on the team.
But Johnson has been plagued by academic problems and, along with 6-9 senior Donnie Von Moore, may be ineligible this semester.
"BOTH JOHNSON and Von Moore worked very hard this summer, both physically and academically." Norwood said. *Sanders wanted the team and want to be a part of the team.*
Johnson is a strong fundamental player, particularly on defense. And in the crucial
K-State game at Lawrence last year, he scored a career-high 21 points and hauled
After starting all but one game as a sophomore, Gibson, a 6-0, native of Roswell, N.M., started only six times last year and finished with 99 assists, fourth on the team.
PART OF the reason for Gibson's reduced playing time was the play of Houston. Last week, the Redskins showed signs of brilliance, pouring in 10 points against Oklahoma and 16 against
Houston started 11 games and averaged 4.2 points.
Sanders, a 64 junior from Leavenworth, played in all but three games last year. A two-year letterman. Sanders should provide 10 points. He averaged 2.2 points a game last year.
In addition to the five returning guards, Kansas recruited Fowler and Valentine, two of the high school guards in the nation. Also in the recruiting crop were 6-4 Johnny Crawell, 6-4 freshman Douglas "Boozy" Neal and 7-4 junior Jay Hurst.
BOTH FOWLER and Valentine were high school All-American's.
ar, a 6-2 freshman from Palmetto,
See GUARDS page five
John Douglas looks for an open man over two K-State defenders.
Norwood longs for 'class'
By DAVID JOHNSON
Associate Sports Editor
If Laffayette Norwood could use only one word to describe the type of athlete he'd like to see at the University of Kansas, "class" would probably be his choice.
To Norwood, new assistant basketball coach *Steve* "a class" athlete is an individual "'who's enthusiastic and who sees the value of basketball as a possible vehicle to offer a lucrative or profitable livelihood."
Although he's only been at KU for three months, Norwood says he's already met three or four of these "class" people. Add these people to the list of blue chip recruits, and Norwood becomes optimistic about the Jawhayk's basketball fortunes this season.
"The IMAGE is going to be in a very positive direction," he said. "People are going to get a good tilt about what's happening here in basketball."
Former head basketball coach at Wichita Heights High School. Norwood was one of two coaches hired to replace former basketball assistants Duncan Reid and Sam Miranda, who resigned last spring. Reid became basketball coach and assistant athletic director at Dodge City Community College and Miranda works for Maupintur Travel Service in Lawrence.
Norwood said his primary responsibility would be on-court coaching, not recruiting.
Despite Norwood's sparkling record,
"WE WILL all do some recruiting to some extent depending on the individual and the area," he said, breaking into a toothy grain at the mention of Wichita as an area where his recruiting talents might be put to use.
norwood is certainly no stranger to Wichita. He coached eight years at Wichita Heights, compiling an overall record of 112-52. His teams won three city championships and three tournament titles and finished in the semi-finals of the state championship. The title outright last year in a 92-63 triumph over Kansas City Wyndotte.
some people were convinced he had been hired solely to lure his star pupil, guard Darnell Valentine, to KU. Norwood says he partially disagrees with those assumptions.
"I DLK TO think I was definitely hired on my ability as a coach," he said. "I established a tradition in my school, and I'd like to continue that here."
As a black man at 42, Norwood said he hopes his slow climb into the college coaching ranks will open the door for other black coaches.
"Maybe it will help a Donnie Vomore or a John Douglas to get a job at a place like
For now, however, Norwood says "we're here and we're going to do a job." To him, that means "injecting the status of pressure and speeding the game up."
"WITH THE personnel we've recruited,
we're going to have to be a quicker and
more efficient."
See NORWOOD page 10