Thursday, November 7, 1968
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
11
Reflections on a basketball practice
By DICK DEAN
Kansan Sports Writer
Today's basketball practice is just beginning. It started almost a month ago, even before the football team had played half of their games.
As you walk into Allen Field House you remember last year and visualize the 17,500 victory hungry fans awaiting the arrival of their Jayhawks. Despite the musty smell of the field house, deserted by fans six months ago for better things outdoors, you still sense the aroma of the pop corn and feel the electric atmosphere that accompanies a college basketball game.
You stroll into the arena and see the 17,500 vacated seats and think how strange it is that such a place could be so exciting one time and cold another.
Then you hear bouncing basketball and turn to where the sound is coming from. A huge, netted fixture greets your eyes. It is designed to keep stray balls on the court, but also forces you to a higher vantage point if you want to see anything.
Finally in the balcony and looking out over the rail, you see 15 basketball players shooting their day's warm up shots. All of them are hopeful of earning starting berths for KU's first game.
mind. A. "good" day in practice or a hot streak in a scrimmage may decide whether a player will be a starter or a benchwarmer, whether he will be filled with confidence or decked with discouragement, whether he will make the pros at $25,000 a year or be a P.E. instructor at $5000 ... all depending upon whether he gets a "break."
A contrast pops into your
While watching the team warm up your attention is drawn to sharp shooting Phil Harmon, a 6-4 sandy-haired senior letterman from Tulsa, who methodically swishes the ball through the hoop 15 or 16 times in a row from 30 feet out.
Suddenly the scene looks as if someone flipped a switch. All chatter and foolishness halts. You scan the floor for the reason. Head coach Ted Owens has just walked onto the court. He is a coach the players like. All is serious now. The decisions concerning who gets to play, who gets recognition, and who gets to the pros are not made the night before the game, but are being made from the first day of practice. Everyone knows this; everyone is serious.
The squad soon starts a lay up drill designed to warm up the muscles and get the players ready to plunge into the day's practice. This drill is highlighted by the popular, but now illegal "dunk" shot which was always a
crowd pleaser. When you notice how this shot "psychs" up the players you can't help but wonder if the coaches, as well as the players wouldn't like to see the "dunk" legalized once again.
Owens goes to the green chalkboard to explain a new defense that he plans to install and reviews one that proved to be successful in past seasons. He talks about the zone defense and how it is designed to keep the opponents from getting the short shot, to trap the ball in the corners and to make enemy passes more susceptible to interception. After it is clear how the defense works, it's off the drawing board and onto the court.
You glance up at the clock high on the wall. It has been an hour now with no sign of letup. The players are wiping sweat from their faces with their already soaked blue and red jerseys. The horn blows. Offensive drills next.
It begins to click, passes are intercepted, the ball is wrestled away from the corner man, the players gain confidence in the new system, everyone is enthused, the student manager is clapping... it works.
A shot is taken ... missed. The ball is rebounded high above the basket and whipped out to one of the smaller (6-3) guards who moves it down the court
hoping to get a quick two points,
Owens institutes a play. His assistants shoot instructions at whoever they happen to be watching at the time. The ball is passed back and forth, the players are waiting for a good shot, trying not to be over anxious, trying not to make any mistakes, trying to make the grade. 30 minutes pass . . . then an hour. How can the players keep going like they do?
If you are impressed with only one thing it would have to be with the enthusiasm that the players, coaches, and even student managers put out. It is not an opening game, but only a practice session with that first game many weeks away. Each time a play succeeds or a good individual effort is put forth it is applauded by all. If there is a failure or a mistake then there is always the next time.
Ten minutes later the horn sounds for the last time. All 15, drenched with sweat, their mouths' dry, hands resting on their hips, wait for their turn at the water fountain and that equally anticipated quarter of an hour in the shower.
Finally the manager blows the horn . . . the signal of the end of that drill and the beginning of the dreaded wind sprints.
Basketball practice is over for today.
Laker's Baylor to the rescue in an overtime
It was Elgin Baylor to the rescue for the Los Angeles Lakers again.
The Lakers have perhaps the most potent trio of scors ever assembled on one team in Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West and on the strength of their "point power" are expected to win the Western Division title in the National Basketball Association this season.
Baylor, however, is proving to be the big man when the Lakers are in the most trouble.
The 6-foot, 5-inch star, who is averaging 31.1 points a game this season, hit for 31, including a game-tying shot with one second remaining in regulation time and four points in overtime Tuesday night when the Lakers downed the Chicago Bulls, 112-109.
The victory was the Lakers' sixth in 10 games and the loss the Bulls' seventh in 11 games. Jerry Sloan led the Bulls with 25 points.
Surprising San Diego managed to hold on to its lead in the Western Division by edging the New York Knicks, 113-109.
Don Kojis led the winners with 28 points while Cazzie Russell had 26 for the Knicks.
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