tuesday,november 11,2003
basketball preview
the university daily kansan 7B
7B
Guard Miles among team leaders
Kansan file photo
Junior point guard Aaron Miles has started almost every game since he's been at Kansas, Coach Cail Self called Miles an invaluable part of this year's team.
By Chris Wintering
cwintering@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Forget that juniors Wayne Simien and Keith Langford are finalists for the Wooden Player of the Year Award. Forget the two McDonald's All-Americans in this year's recruiting class. Forget about all of that. Junior Aaron Miles is the most important player to this team. At least that is what his coach says.
Coach Bill Self said the team could not afford to lose Miles because he is the team's only true point guard who has seen any significant playing time. That leaves the coach wondering who to put in Miles goes down.
"Right now, I can honestly say I have no idea who that could be. I'd say we'd play without a point guard," Self said. "The way that we play, positions are interchangeable. We may go through a phase where we actually play without a point guard whenever Aaron's not in the game."
Miles said he was not worried because of his belief in his teammates backing him. Miles said sophomore Jeff Hawkins could come in to replace him.
"God forbid I go down, I know my boy Jeff will do the same things I do, if not better," Miles said.
Miles' belief in his teammates shows that he is also becoming one of this team's leaders, a role that was vacated with the departures of Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich for the NBA.
"Kirk definitely led by example. He wasn't a vocal guy in the locker room, "Simien said. "He had heart, night in and night out, and Aaron Miles does those same things."
Self said he thought that any point guard should be an extension of the head coach. That's the role that he wants Miles to fulfill.
"I want him to think like me and I want to be able to think like him. I want to be able to read his body language and know if anything is bothering him." Self
said. "If Aaron Miles cares as much as I think he cares, he will handle problems before they become problems. He will address things before they even get to me. I want that type of relationship."
Miles doesn't shy away from being a team leader, but he also said the team has several players who can step into that role.
"There are many leaders on this team. It's not just me," he said. "We're all going to do our best to keep this team together and keep us striding in the same direction."
"I think any player across the country wants to win a national championship, and for us to be so close two years in a row, it hurt us. To have it in our grasp and let it go, it hurt," Miles said. "However, it just makes us hungrier."
Like every year Miles has been at Kansas, that direction is toward winning the National Championship. Miles said that continues to be the ultimate goal for this team.
In the off-season, Miles worked to improve his offensive game, and Self said he had done that. Self said Miles was shooting the ball better this season and was better overall offensively.
Improving his offense is important, but that is not the key to Miles' success this year. Self said.
"There is only one statistic that matters when you are a point guard, and that's wins and losses," Self said. "I think that is where he excels."
- Edited by Katie Bean
Highly recruited Illinois guard commits to Duke
DURHAM, N.C. - The nation's top point guard will play basketball for coach Mike Krzyzewski next year.
Shaun Livingston committed to Duke at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
"I feel Coach K and Duke are
By Michael Mueller
The Chronicle via U-Wire
Duke University
the best fit for me," Livingston said. "It's the best decision I could make for me and my life, both in and beyond basketball."
Livingston, a rangy point guard, averaged 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists last year for Peoria (Ill.) Central High School. He is widely considered to be the nation's top prep playmaker and is the consensus No.2 prospect in the class of 2004.
"For the last two years, I've though that Shaun Livingston is the best point guard in America," recruiting analyst Dave Telep told TheDevilsDen.com. "His overall package at the position is awesome. From posting up smaller guards to his super vision, he's big time."
Livingston, however, isn't perfect. Weighing only 178 pounds, the nation's top prep playmaker
will need to add muscle to his frame.
"Right now I'm mainly working on some of the off-court stuff," Livingston told The Chronicle last week. "Weights and conditioning, [I'm] trying to get in shape because I'm going to have to play some big minutes."
He will also mentioned his foot speed and his jump shot as areas that need further development.
'Beast' Bonner brings strength
By Jesse Newell
jnewell@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Bonner
In the Kansas media guide, junior-college transfer Kandis Bonner's nickname is listed as "Moosie." After a just few practices and games, Kansas guard Erica Hallman has found another nickname for her.
"Kandis, man, she's a beast," guard Erica Hallman said.
Following a few weeks of practice and a trip to Mexico, there is no doubt "the beast" has made a huge impression with her teammates as well as her coaches.
"I'm very, very physical." Bonner said. "I think that's one of the best aspects of my game."
Bonner knows exactly what she can provide for the Jayhawks this season and why she received her new title.
Her tough style of play has earned the respect in just the first few weeks of the season, especially from her teammates.
“Kandis is a presence on the court,” guard Blair Waltz said. “She is so mobile for her size, it's unreal. She can clear the lane in one step if she wanted to. No doubt, she can score at will.”
Bonner originally may have not been looked upon as a scorer in Kansas' recruiting class. Averaging just 5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds a game at Wabash Valley College, she was overshadowed in the Kansas class by Lauren Ervin and Sharita Smith, who were both top-30 signees.
That hasn't stopped Bonner from impressing on the court.
In just 18 minutes of action, Bonner poured in a game-high 20 points to go along with six rebounds as Kansas won its first
game during its exhibition trip to Mexico against CEU-Monterrey Aug. 30. Bonner averaged 13 points and 5.3 rebounds during the four-game tournament for the lav Hawks.
Though she gives Kansas size inside, teammates are just as impressed with her surprising speed.
"She is extraordinarily gifted," forward Tamara Ransburg said. "She has a big body and can move really well like a guard."
"That's the hardest player I've ever had to gurrd." freshman forward Lauren Ervin said. "She has so much more weight than me, but she's quicker."
The 6-foot-1 Bonner has played Division I basketball, competing for Bradley University her freshman season and averaging 7.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. At Wabash last year, she gained valuable experience on a team that placed fifth at the NJCAA national tournament. Practicing against a 6-foot-5 teammate in drills everyday, Bonner has experience playing against taller opponents.
No doubt she will see them in the Big 12 conference this year, as Kansas will need help to match up with the strong post players of the conference.
"She's physical, and I think that she will fit in so well in this league," Waltz said. "She'll give all the great post players in this league a run for their money."
Coach Marian Washington agreed Bonner could have a huge impact for the Jahawks during the Big 12 season.
Bonner said she had confidence in the Jayhawks' big players this season and said the team had already taken on some of her own characteristics.
"I believe all of us can shoot the ball really well." Bonner said, "and all of us are very physical."
Kind of like the beast herself.
—Edited by Ashley Marriott