SEARCH FOR COACH: Athletics director makes contact with Fresno State SOCCER: Kansas begins tournament play in San Antonio today
6A
SPORTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
TALK TO US: Contact Jay Krail or Sarah Warren at (785) 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Commentary
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2001
---
Brian
Hanni
Columnist
sportskanans.com
A great year for all Jayhawks,
except for one.
Final chance for LaFrentz to improve
The NBA season is under way and this could be a great year for former Kansas players now in the pros.
These are good times for Kansas alumni like Danny Manning, who's with a legitimate title contender in Dallas. Scott Pollard has the same chance this season with Sacramento. Paul Pierce's Celtics and Jacque Vaughn's Hawks are both on the rise and could reach the playoffs if their teams continue to improve. Greg Ostertag's Utah Jazz may have enough old guys to fill a bingo hall, but Utah still looks to have a solid shot as well.
That brings us to Raef LaFrentz, last and least on the list of Jayhawks with high hopes this year. The former Kansas All-American is frustrated for a number of reasons and needs to elevate his game like never before if he wants to make anything out of this season.
So, why is Raef singing the blues?
First off, LaFrentz plays on one of the worst teams in basketball — the Denver Nuggets. The team's best player, Antonio McDyess, is out with two knee injuries. And other than Nick Van Exel, the rest of the roster is filled with underachievers. Unfortunately for Raef, that includes him.
Secondly, as if having to play for the Nuggets isn't bad enough, LaFrentz plays for a coach who has been frustrated with him from the very beginning. Denver coach Dan Issel, after being unimpressed with LaFrentz's first three seasons, has the former third overall draft pick locked in his doghouse. Issel wanted Raef to be the center whom he could build his team around.
Instead, the coach has been often disappointed and has claimed that LaFrentz cannot be motivated.
The final and worst of all frustrations for LaFrentz came last week when the Nuggets let his Oct. 30 deadline pass without giving him a contract extension. The team says it wants him back, but Raef has seen little proof and will almost certainly test the free-agent market this summer.
LaFrentz has every right to be frustrated, but now that he's been around the league for a while and is finally healthy, it's time to put up or shut up.
He needs to build on a solid campaign last year, in which he averaged almost 13 points and eight boards a game. His surgically repaired knee is holding up well, so there's little reason why this shouldn't be his best year yet
Like it or not, LaFrentz has a good situation in Denver. With McDyess out, he should get more shots and post decent numbers that might turn into decent dollars at season's end.
Like him or not, Issel and the Nuggets need LaFrentz to have a big year. With McDyess likely out until February, Denver needs another scoring option to go with Van Exel. If the Nuggets are going to win at all, the points have to come from somewhere. Right now, LaFrentz is their best bet.
In a perfect world, LaFrentz would have a career year, beat Pierce's Celtics in the NBA Finals and earn a huge contract extension that would keep him in Denver through his prime. So far, reality is this: LaFrentz is averaging less than nine points a game, and Denver is terrible. Unless that changes, the former Jayhawk won't be striking gold with the Nuggets anytime soon.
Hanni is a Topeka senior in broadcast management.
Freshmen open season strong
Despite nervous start, new players make significant contributions in exhibition game victory
By Ali Brox Kansan sportswriter
Aaron Miles looked lost on the basketball court during the announcement of the starting lineup, but he quickly found his place after tipoff.
In his Allen Fieldhouse debut last night during Kansas' exhibition game against the EA Sports All-Stars, Miles started as point guard but had some trouble figuring out how to run out for the announcement of the starting lineup. He headed to half court to shake hands with an opposing player, as was customary at his high school in Portland, Ore.
"We don't do that around here," Coach Roy Williams said about Miles running over to the other bench. "You know in the Big 12, those guys, he may run over there and Ricardo may chop him or something," he said, referring to Colorado coach Ricardo Patton.
Williams said the starters were chosen based on who gave the team the best chance to play defense and push the ball.
Williams said he thought Miles was nervous before the game, which was apparent as his first two shots appeared tentative. Miles finally settled in and made his first points as a Jayhawk, a three-pointer, with 13:50 left in the first half.
team the best choice to play. Though Wayne Simien dominated the game with 25 points and eight rebounds, Miles found his role as well, finishing with 10 points and five assists.
Trying to establish their roles as well, Keith Langford and Michael Lee both recorded their first field goals at Kansas during the first half. Williams said he thought nerves affected Langford more than Lee.
"I think Keith was nervous," Williams said. "I thought Michael Lee and Wayne were into the game immediately.
Both Lee and Langford finished with four points each.
Although the freshmen showed some good signs in the exhibition game, Williams doesn't want to get too excited yet.
tion game, William's doesn't want to go back. "It's not exactly Missouri out there we're playing or Oklahoma State." Williams said. "I just want to see that they can do that against big time people."
Drew Gooden, junior forward, sinks a quick bucket in the first half of play against the EA Sports All-Stars. Gooden shot 8 for 14 last night at Allen Fieldhouse with a total of 17 points last night.
Contact Brox at 864-4858
Hayes suspends starting cornerback
AARON LINDBERG/KANSAN
Ivey will miss game against Texas Saturday for team violation
By Jeff Denton Kansan sportswriter
Tom Hayes has always preached discipline — yesterday he enforced it.
discipline - yesterday for Kansas' interim coach suspended starting cornerback Carl Ivey from Saturday's game against No. 5 Texas for breaking unspecified team rules.
"My personality is such that I lay out the disciplines," Hayes said at his first press conference since former coach Terry Allen was fired on Sunday. "And if they're violated, I react, and I react the same every time. I don't waver. I don't feel bad because I am not going to apologize for having a rule.
"I never have and I never will."
Ivey has started each game this season. He will not travel with the team
Roe said he was excited about the chance to start, especially because his father lives in Austin and will be in attendance at 11:30 a.m. Saturday to see him play in person.
"It's going to be a fun time," Roe said. "I've just got to go out there and do my thing, but I have always had my personal
He has started 19 games in the Kansas defensive backfield during his four-year career.
when it flies to Austin, Texas, on Friday evening.
insight if I should be starting or not."
the sophomore from Killeen, Texas, declined to comment on the suspension.
Carlvey
Senior Quincy Roe will replace Ivey at left cornerback against the Longhorns. Although he has played off the bench in each game this season, Roe is not inexperienced.
Senior defensive tackle Marquis Hayes said he was not aware that his teammate had been suspended until yesterday's press conference, but he said that he was not surprised that his coach took action.
"He's just letting everybody know what he's always been doing," Marquis Hayes said of his interim coach. "It's not about the games or the play. It's about business."
Ivey's two interceptions represent the Jayhawks' second-highest total. Senior defensive back Andrew Davison leads the team with three.
Ivey will become the third Kansas player to be suspended for one game this year. Freshman quarterback Mario Kinsey and sophomore running back Reggie Duncan were benched during the Jayhawks' season-open victory against Southwest Missouri State on Sept. 1 for breaking team rules.
Contact Danton at 864-4858
Kansas soccer begins tournament
Kansan sportswriter
By Ryan Wood
The fourth-seeded Jayhawks (13-5) shut out the Tigers 2-0 Friday at Super Target Field. Just six days later, the two prepare to meet again. This time, there's more at stake.
SAN ANTONIO — Suddenly,winning is the only option.
The Kansas soccer team enters the Big 12 Conference tournament today at 1:30 p.m. with a rematch with rival Missouri.
Today's match marks the second postseason game for Kansas in its seven-year history. The Jayhawks sneaked into last year's conference tournament as an eighth seed and took a quick, first-round pounding from Nebraska, 4-0.
Francis said the team's attitude going into this year's tournament was much more optimistic than it had been last year.
"I think they're going in thinking that if they win the first game, anything can happen," Kansas coach Mark Francis said. "I think the first game will be the toughest, to be honest with you, because we just played them."
Missouri (12-7) rebounded after the loss and defeated Eastern Illinois 3-1 Sunday. The Tigers come to San Antonio as the fifth seed.
"I think it will be hard to get pumped up to play them again," said junior defender Pardis Brown. "We need to come in confident, but not arrogant. Play our game."
Today's winner goes on to face the winner of the Texas-Iowa State game. Texas is the No.1 seed, after going 9-1 in conference play.
In preparation for today's match at Blossom Athletic Complex, Kansas spent the week practicing on the quicker, artificial surface at Memorial Stadium.
"It's really short and real fast," Francis said of the field in San Antonio. "We're trying to get them used to the speed of the ball."
Notes
"There were some things, watching the tape, that we need to do a better job of," he said. "Hopefully we'll be able to correct some of those things. That will make the game less close."
The Jayhawks arrived in San Antonio yesterday afternoon. They held a light workout upon arrival, in preparation for today's showdown.
Francis said he thought that execution would be the key to another victory against the Tigers.
Contact Wood at 864-4858
Freshman eyes Jayhawk run at championship
By Jessica Scott Kansan sportswriter
Chelsey Thompson
In 25 minutes on the floor, she tallied nine points on 3-of-4 shooting while dishing out two assists and grabbing two steals in the Jayhawks' season-opening exhibition game.
Coach Marian Washington said she thought Thompson was already showing great potential.
As a senior, Thompson used her intensity and passion for the game to lead her team to the Kentucky state championship game. She averaged 18 points, four rebounds and seven assists per game during her final season and was named first-team all-state and Region 7 Player of the Year in Kentucky.
"I am really excited about Chelsey," she said. "She will add to our athleticism and will be able to contribute this year.
"She's very aggressive and once she settles in I think she'll be pretty effective for us." Washington said.
Thompson said she wanted to become a leader on the floor and learn her role on the team.
Chelsey Thompson has high hopes for the women's basketball team.
"I would love to win the Big 12 Conference, that's the big thing. But to also play hard as team and go to the NCAA tournament." she said
The true freshman comes to Kansas fresh off a basketball-filled summer Thanks to her hard work during the off-season, the 5-foot-10 forward from Louisville, Ky., is prepared to make the transition to college basketball.
"We need to play hard and give 110 percent every time we're on the court," said Thompson of her team. "I think if we do that, we'll be successful."
1
Contact Jessica Scott at 864-4858