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Wednesdav. August 21. 1974
University Daily Kansan
Knight Was Bright Against K-State
By MIKE FITZGERALD Kansan Sports Reporter
The 1973 University of Kansas basketball team surprised the Big Eight Conference by winning its title.
Title Win for KU Expected
In 1974, no one should be surprised if KU wins the conference title again.
This season the Jayhawks will have one of its best teams ever. It is a team that has been playing together for three years. On the other hand, the rest of the conference, except for Nebraska, is exerting a lack of good players and will be weaker.
Kansas returns four of last year's five starters: Norm Cook and Roger Morningstar at forward, Danny Knight at center and Dale Geeleen at guard. The vacancy left at guard by Tom Kiviste will be difficult to replace, but it appears that KU recruits and present substitutes will eventually be able to do the job.
The two "super-subs." Tommie Smith and Rick Suttle, also return to give the Hawks outstanding bench strength. Also on the bench will be Donnie Montov, McNamara, who will slow last year, but near the end of the season he played well for the junior varsity.
Reuben Shelton, who played guard in '73, is another who will provide bench strength, but next year he will play forward. Owens has called him a natural forward and Shelton should be expected to shift positions.
When Owens and his staff recruited at the end of the season in 1974, they were looking for one thing: a guard with the leadership ability to replace Tom Kivisto. They might have found this in Nick Bussard, a 6'1", 170-lb player from Olney Junior College in Olney, III.
When the first University of Kansas basketball game gets under way on Nov. 30, there will be some new faces of which notice should be taken.
If the junior college sounds familiar, its because Roger Morningstar came from the same school. In fact, Bussard and Morningstar were roommates at Olney.
Bussard is regarded as an excellent ball handler and playmaker and also can score. At Olney he averaged in double figures both years.
5 Cager Recruits Signed
Kansas signed only five players this year, although the NCAA one-year scholarship program has been recently that because the NCAA limited the number of team scholarships at 18 and that because KU had a number of players left to play, it decided to give only five scholarships this year.
Owens Delighted with Recruits
Shelton might not be the only player to shift positions in front of him, forward, forward, Roger Morningstar to guard and having Danny Knight play center and Rick Suttle take Morrison.
New players signed to play with this year's Jayhawks are Ken Koenigs, Goddard; Milton Gibson, Roswell, M.; Rick Bussard, Olney, Ill.; Clint Johnson, Leavenworth; and Marc Fletcher, Collinsville, III.
"I was delighted with the outcome of recruiting," he said. "We were down in numbers of guards. Only Dale Greene returns who has played any. We'll be trying to convert (guard) Reuben Shelton to forward next year."
The five basketball recruits all have had outstanding careers so far.
Ken Koenigs, who is 6 feet 9 and weighs 195 pounds, is from Goddard High School. By an overwhelming margin, Koenigs was selected the Kansas high school player-of-the-year by one major state newspaper. He Gothard to a 24.1 first season last month as he had two wins, one loss only lame in the finals of the 3-A state tournament. Last season he averaged 21.3 points and 12.8 rebounds while blocking 88 shots. He made 59.7 percent of his field goal attempts and 83.6 percent of his free throw attempts his senior year. He averaged 18.1 points his junior year and 21.0 points his senior year. Koenigs played during his career. Koenigs was named a prep All-American by Coach and Athlete Association.
Milton Gibson is 6 feet 1 and weighs 180 pounds. He is from Goddard High School in Rosewall, N.M. Gibson was a consensus All-American selection last year and also an
Basketball Coach Miranda Optimistic About Recruits
The University of Kansas basketball team has the opportunity to have an even better season than it had last year, according to Sam Miranda, assistant basketball coach.
"We have, with our new guards, an opportunity to possibly replace Kmit Vivioti."
"This year was perhaps the most satisfying season I have had in my career," Miranda said. "I think we have an opportunity to be even better next year."
KU has recruited four players to fill the guard positions on the team. They are Rick Bussard, of Ohney Junior College, Olney, Ill.; Marc Fletcher, Collinsville, Ill.; Milt Gibson, Roswell, N.M.; and Clint Johnson, Leavenworth.
All three basketball coaches are constantly working on recruiting new players, Miranda said. Players from Illinois and the St. Louis area are recruited by Miranda.
"We have had a lot of fine players come out of the Illinois area." Miranda said.
Miranda has been at KU for 10 years. The KU basketball team has won 15 championships during that time. KU competes in the Big Eight Tournament, and they are the Big Eight Tournament, the Jabvykhv
Classic Tournament and the Big Eight conference championship.
"We tremendously appreciate the backing we have had from the students," Miranda said. "I think this year will be an enjoyable year for our fairs. The support we received is huge and it is a crowd of one reason we have always had so much success at Allen Field House."
Miranda started playing basketball in fifth grade in Collinsville, Ill. He played at the guard position for his Collinsville High School team, and then played the same position for three years of varsity basketball at Indiana University.
all-state and all-district selection. It was the third consecutive year he received all-district honors. Last year he set five school records—1,710 career points, 27.5 season scoring average, 715 points in one season, 648 points in another in one season. Last year he led Goddard to a 21-3 record. Goddard's overall record during Gibson's career was 624-14. Gibson was also chosen as last year's Southwest player-of-the-year. The honor is given to the top college basketball player in the states of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado.
Miranda said that playing a sport extensively gave a person an advantage as a coach but that it did not necessarily make him a better coach.
Russ Bassard is 6 feet 1 and weighs 170 pounds. He is from East Richland High School, Olin, Ill., and Ouny Junior College. In his senior year, he was named player-of-the-year in Southern Illinois by the Evanville (ind.) Courier after being named coach of the varsity honors. He passed up several offers from major colleges and went to Olin Junior College, where he and KU forward Roger Morningstar led Olin to a third place finish in the national junior college tournament in 1973. That season he averaged 12.4 points a game and set a school record in assists with 88.5 and another in goals. Olin's two-year record during Bassard's career was 48-20, including a 32-6 record his freshman season.
"When a person is involved in sports through all of his young life, then it is a natural lead-in to coaching," Miranda said. "I was fortunate to play under Virgil Fletcher, who was my high school coach, who was my McCracken, who was my coach at Indiana, who was said. He said both men helped him greatly. Fletcher, coach at Collinsville High School, is the father of Marc Fletcher, one of KU's recently recruited guards.
Clint Johnson, who is 6 feet 2 and 180 pounds, is from Leavenworth High School. A consensus all-state selection this year, Johnson led Leavenworth to a 15-4 game and a share of the Centennial League title. He averaged 24.0 points a game, which made him the top score in the league, and won the league's most valuable player award. Johnson's single game scoring ability has helped him win it. It broke the school record. As a junior he led Leavenworth to a 20-3 record and a third place finish in the state 4-4 tournament. He averaged 14.4 points that season and received third-team all-state honors.
Marc Fletcher, who is 6 feet 4 and weighs 180 pounds, is from Collinville High School in Collinville. III. Fletcher was named high school player-of-the-year last season in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The award winner was determined by a vote of area high school coaches and was presented by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Fletcher was selected last year and received All-American, all-state and all-conference honors. He led Collinson to the league championship last year and was coached by his father, Virgil, who also coached Bohoen丝蒂斯, former allege leader for KU.
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Here are my 1974-75 Big Eight predictions:
Kansas signed three other guards and one forward last year. Signed were Marc Fletcher, 6' 4" All-America guard from Collinsville, III; Clint Johnson, 6' 2" consensus all-state guard from Lewenworth; Milt Gibson, 6' 1" guard from Roswell, N.M.; and Ken Koenigs, a 6' 9" forward from Goddard.
first: Kansas. KU fans can start planin' their trip now to San Diego in March. The Jayhawks have quality players and have good depth. They recruited well and last week the Bakersfield Rams should carry into the 73 season. Barring any unforeseen upsets, KU should go 13-1 and possibly 14-0. Kansas might have some trouble on the road. They play at Notre Dame, Kentucky and St. Louis. Winning away from home isn't easy in the Big Eight.
Outside Allen Field House During Registration Sponsored by Southern Baptist Student Union
Second: Nebraska. Coach Joe Cipriano and his 13 returning players tasted the sweetness of victory at the end of last year because he be hungry again when the season begins.
Jerry Fort, 6' 3" junior, returns as one of the nation's fittest guards. Rurning at the other guard position will be Ricky Marsh, a 6' 3" junior. Nebraska also has front line guards, Ricky Harris and Mark Enright at forward and Larry Cox and Ron Taylor at center.
Third: Oklahoma. Oklahoma will still be a good team next year simply because Alvan Adams returns. The Sooners won the title, but Kansas for second place, but they lost several key players from last year's squad.
Mike McCurdy
Fourth: Kansas State. K-State, unless its recruits develop quickly into a well-organized team, will not be the basketball house it has been the last couple of years.
Guard Mike McCurdy and forward Bob Pritchard will help the Sooners in 1974.
The Wildcats lost all five starters.
This leaves Carl Gerlach at center, Doug Snider at forward and Chuckie Williams at guard to take over the team. Ron Henry, a 6'8" player, has been out into the wildcat lineup very quickly.
Fifth: Iowa State, Iowa State faces another rebuild year after losing Robert Wilson, Eric Heft, Wes Harris, Mike Capobianco and BILL Benson. Hercle "Poison" Ivy returns as a junior and is probably the best guard in the league outside of Jerry Fort. Also back are Larry John and John at guard. The Cyclones will have no coach since Maury John resigned because of poor health.
Sixth: Colorado. The Buffs are another team that has been depleted by graduation.
Gone are Bill Cole, Lee Haven, Boh Hoffman, Doug Mitchell and Scott Weddow
Returning to lead the Buffaloes are all-round athlete David Logan and 6" center Ron Wrigley. Also back are two more Doug Layne, and Doug Layne. Coach Russell Walsh's premier recruit is 6" 7", Prep prep All-America Larry Vaculik also. Also, keep your eyes on 6" Mike Miller, a transfer from the University of Indiana.
Seventh: Oklahoma State. Oklahoma State tied for last place in 1973 and should do better next year. Kevin Fitzgerald, one of the most consistent scorers in the Big Eight, graduated. Other than Fitzgerald, Guy Strong's Cowboys are in good shape.
Eighth: Missouri. Something is wrong with the Tiger basketball program and it better be straightened out soon or it's the cellar for Missouri. Both Kevin King and Steve Dangos have either quit the team or transferred. Al Eberhard, last year's star performer, has graduated and so has Gary Link.
Field House Floor Gets New Look
Returning are Romie Daniels, probably the best ball handling guard in the league, and K. C. Kincaide, who will fill out the guard positions. Forwards Lafayette from Duckett return, along with the Big Eight's lead rebounder, Andy Henson.
By MIKE FITZGERALD Kansan Sports Reporter
Alen Field House hasn't changed much, inside or out, since its dedication March 1, 1955. Of course, minor repairs have been made in its 19 years and in 1970 the Allen Field House has been added. But for the most part, Alen Field House hasn't changed at all.
This year, however, the field house takes on a new inside look. Installed on the floor is an artificial surface of polyurathane, which covers the dirt-and-wood floor, the original surfaces.
The floor was installed by the Monsanto Company, makers of Astrortol, of St. Louis.
After the old wooden floor was taken out, a layer of concrete was poured onto the dirt surface. A layer of rubber, then a layer of plastic was added. On top of the shiny, deep wood surface, there is another surface; light brown in the basketball court area and dark red outside the court.
The 220-yard oval track was prepared in the same way, except the top layer was a sofer rubber, similar to Hershberger Tartan Track at Memorial Stadium.
The question on the minds of most people, especially the ardent basketball fans, is how the new surface will affect the basketball played there.
At both ends of the main basketball court are practice courts, which can be easily accessed.
"I think there are two things that the new floor will do: you won't be able to hear the players run, said Basketball coach Jeffrey Miller. You can't think it will take away from the game and
"I'm going to try to like the floor, I don't envision any problems."
The idea of putting in a new floor at the field house has been considered for the past several years. According to Owens, Athletic Director Walker recognized the need for the surface.
"We had been talking about it for several years," Owens said. "It was obvious that the old floor had had it—the dirt was the biggest problem."
Owens said he would have preferred a wood floor to the artificial surface, but there were two things that made a wood floor impossible: the field house is for multi-family homes and baseball, and a new wood floor would cost $33,000 to $50,000 more than the artificial floor.
"I think the main thing they, the student body, administration, and athletic department, wanted to come up with, was a surface that would get maximum use out of the
"I'm approaching the problem from the standpoint that it will work."
What they found was that all three schools and their athletic departments were pleased with the floor and all agreed that the lasting quality of it far exceeded wood.
field house," he said. "We could have had the artificial surface plus the wooden basketball floor, but it wouldn't have been practical.
Owens said all options had been checked very carefully. The athletic department contacted the three other Big Eight schools in Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas State and Colorado.
Owens said, however, that there were
several drawbacks to the artificial surface. He said one of the most general misconceptions about the surface was that it's easier than wood to take care of. He said wood is the more durable, so the floor must be treated with a special chemical such as often or the floor would become sticky.
The new floor will cost approximately
$14,000. The existing office has
agreed to pay 60 per cent or $135,000.
Allen Field House was named in honor of Dr. F. C. "Phog" Allen, KU basketball coach for 39 years. The field house originally cost $2.5 million and is still the third largest on-campus playing arena (17,000) in the nation.
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