MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2002
KANSAS BASKETBALL
THEUNIVERSITYDAILYKANSAN 11B
Transfers rebuild Kansas State team
The Associated Press
MANHATTAN — Jarrett Hart calls his arrival at Kansas State a fresh start.
But the 6-foot-4 junior college transfer from Arkansas-Fort Smith isn't alone.
Kansas State coach Jim Wooldridge lost his entire backcourt from a year ago and now has three players with little or no Division I experience at both guard positions.
With forward Gilson Dejesus as the Wildcats' only returning player with experience at guard from last season's seventh place Big 12 team, Wooldridge is hoping that Hart, Tim Ellis and point guard Frank Richards all junior college transfers have fast and painless transitions.
"Those players will play major minutes and that's a lot to ask of new players," Wooldridge said Wednesday at the team's annual media day. "We find ourselves faced with some real challenges. They'll have to overachieve in order for us to move up the ladder in the Big 12."
Hart, a NJCAA third team All-American, averaged 19.4 points and 5.5 rebounds at Arkansas-Fort Smith.
His college basketball career had started well before then, however. Hart appeared in six games for Oklahoma as a true freshman before his life took a turn for the worse.
He got a bruised kidney and was forced to sit the bench. Then, his cousin, Garfield Parker, was killed in a car accident during the year. As a result, Hart quit the Sooners and moved back home to Little Rock, Ark.
"We were basically like
brothers," Hart said. "It was a big setback. I had to fly home and be with my family. That was a learning experience for me."
Now, Hart is expected to be Kansas State's starting guard and he hopes he can bring a winning attitude to a Wildcat team that has been picked to finish 11th in the Big 12.
"I just want to win," Hart said. "We're going through a learning process. We have the talent to finish in the upper half of the Big 12, but we look at this season as a challenge."
The Wildcats return three starters: center Pervis Pasco, forward Matt Siebrandt and forward Quentin Buchanan. Pasco, who made the conference's All-Newcomer team, averaged 12.1 points and 8.4 rebounds.
But Wooldridge admits that the loss of point guard and leading scorer Larry Reid to graduation and the loss of starting shooting guard Nick Williams, who left in the spring for personal reasons, will hurt.
He said he's counting on Hart to be a scorer.
"He's the smartest basketball player on this team," Wooldridge said. "He has the ability to make people better around home. He's the kind of guy you have to tell to score more. That's where he will have to adapt."
Wooldridge, who has improved the Wildcats from last in the conference to seventh in two years, continues to push his team to make strides.
"We've done some positive things here," he said. "But we're still working on the foundation. If you don't have that, you can't move forward."
K-State expects returners' success
MANHATTAN—This season, the surprise factor for Kansas State is over.
The Associated Press
Before the Wildcats' Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA tournament and fourth place finish in the Big 12 Conference last season, coach Deb Patterson's team was coming off a 12-16 season in which Kansas State finished last in the Big 12.
With three freshmen and one sophomore starting, even Patterson didn't know what to expect. Now, the expectations are different — much different.
The Wildcats (26-7, 12-4 in the Big 12 last season) finished 2002 ranked 11th, the school's highest finish ever, and reached the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1987.
And with four starters returning, many expect even more from the young Wildcats.
"We hope we can build on the momentum we generated last year," Patterson said Wednesday at the team's annual media day. "The challenge now is consistency. We're learning to become what the great programs are all about. Our players are very focused on making that happen."
Big 12 coaches have picked the Wildcats to finish second in the conference behind Texas Tech. Junior center Nicole Ohlde was picked as the coaches' preseason favorite to be the Big 12's player of the year. Ohlde and sophomore forward Kendra Wecker are candidates for the Naismith Award given to the nation's best player.
"We're extremely excited about where we find ourselves in the preseason polls," Patterson said. "That's something we take pride in and consider a great challenge."
The hype has already made an
imprint on the team's fan base, as well.
With 18 days left before Kansas State's season opener against Ball State, the ticket office has sold a school record 6,500 season tickets — 5,000 more than last season.
Patterson isn't concerned that her young players will be overwhelmed by lofty preseason expectations. Although Kansas State starts four sophomores and has no seniors, Patterson is confident that they are focused on everyday goals rather than long-term ones.
"Definitely, it's going to be a lot different," sophomore guard Laurie Koehn said. "We don't have that element of surprise anymore. But that's good because you have that respect. Last year, there were a lot of freshmen and we didn't know what to expect. This year we're a little more comfortable."
Ohlde led the Wildcats last sea
son with an average of 17.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Wecker averaged 16.4 points and 7.8 rebounds a game.
Koehn is the Wildcats' only returning starter in the backcourt. She averaged 17.7 points a game last season and led the nation in 3-pointers with 122.
Still, coach Patterson doesn't expect everything to be smooth sailing. The Wildcats lost starting guard Kristin Rethman to graduation.
And with sophomore point guard Kari Hanson out with an undisclosed injury, the Wildcats have only two guards with experience. Koehn and sophomore guard Chelsea Domenico.
"It's very open-ended at the guard spots," Patterson said. "Chelsea is someone we will be looking at. There are a lot of unanswered questions, but I'm having a good time working through it."
Clemons stars in Tigers' intrasquad game; Snyder pleased with play of newcomers
Bv Will Hall
By W.Hinman
The Manater via U-Wire
University of Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Not too many people will mistake Ricky Clemons for Shawn Kemp.
Despite the differences of about 9 inches,125 pounds and 15 kids. Clemons did his best Rain Man impression on Saturday when he tossed the ball in the air, caught it off the bounce and slammed it before the Black and Gold game on Saturday.
Clemons said he thought the play caught many in attendance by surprise.
This is not the only time Clemons made an impression on Saturday, as he made several highlight-reel plays on his way to 21 points and a 43-56 Black victory.
Clemons said his high points total was representative of his mentality.
"Nobody thought I could dunk because I'm short," Clemons said.
"That's just how I play," Clemons said. "If I see an opening, I am just going to be aggressive and take it."
Coach Quin Snyder said Tiger fans got a good look at Clemons' talent in the game.
"He showed some of the things he brings to our team in terms of being able to get other people and, obviously, convert for himself," Snyder said.
Clemons, a junior college transfer, was not the only newcomer to contribute Saturday.
Freshman center Kevin Young scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Snyder said Young had several qualities that allowed him to contribute.
"Kevin had a little bit of a tough time converting early in the game, but he is methodically relentless," Snyder said. "He just keeps coming, and he's got great hands."
Young said he still had a lot to work on.
"I'm still trying to find myself out there," Young said.
However, Young also said there was no question whether he
was ready to play in the Big 12 Conference.
"I really think I am." Young said.
"When I get in the game, my teammates know I am going to battle."
Freshman Jimmy McKinney added five points, three rebounds and two assists.
Snyder said working at the point guard position had allowed McKinney to improve as a player.
The least heralded newcomer is Rob Iohnson, a new walk-on.
However, Snyder described his dive for the ball in the second half as his favorite play of the game.
"I thought it brought the Gold team back," Snyder said. "He might replace Justin Gage as our diver."
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