JAYHAWK
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Basketball
Inside Sports today
Kansas State quarterback Michael Bishop has supreme confidence, and for good reason. He's only lost one game as a college starter. SEE PAGE 4R
Yesterday's game - Kansas vs. Latvia Club
KANSAS 95
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NO.8
SECTION B, PAGE 1
WWW.JHAWKBBALU.COM
LATVIA 61
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UNRANKED
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1998
Commentary
Unknown Jayhawks refreshing
For the past three years, the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team has been a proven commodity. Fans knew what to expect from Roy's teams.
Wins. And lots of them.
With some of the best players in Kansas history, Roy's boys steamrolled through the Big 12 Conference with
unprecedented dominance. Every season, his Jayhawks towered near the top of the national rankings. His players found their names on All-American lists and then on NBA rosters. But there wasn't much surprise in Lawrence. Kane expected
Harley Ratliff
sports@kansan.com
It was seen all the players, we knew what they were capa-
one of and we knew they were going to execute. They always did — almost.
Jacque Vaughn, the consummate court leader, was going to make the perfect pass. Raef LaFrentz, with his precision post moves, was going to pour in plenty of points. And Paul Pierce, moving effortlessly around defenders with his long, swooping arms, was going to make a ritual of embarrassing his opponents.
At the start of every season, two words seemed to linger in the mind of Jayhawk fans: National Championship. The question wasn't if they were going to make it to the Final Four, it was how many times?
This was the norm. This was expected. But things are different down at Allen Field House this season.
Success? Of course. But how much?
How far?
For the first time in three years, there are legitimate questions and concerns surrounding the team. There is an overwhelming curiosity to see this year's squad play its first real game. No one seems quite sure what to expect.
Jayhawk fans now find themselves in a refreshingly new scenario: more questions, less expectations.
As the season wears on, many of those questions will be answered, while others may linger. But, with two exhibition games under their belt, the Jayhawks have given us some early clues. First off, Jeff Boschee can handle the rock. It didn't take long to figure that out.
Going into the season, there were questions whether he could handle the responsibility of running the team. Not many true freshman start at point guard — especially at a program of Kansas' caliber. But Boschee looks poised running the show, and his shot is already much smoother than Vaughn's — the last true freshman to start at point for Roy. Boschee could be one of those rare players that starts from his first game until his last.
The next best early indicator is that Kenny Gregory's back appears healthy. More explosive than last year, Gregory looks great on the court where he has used his athletic ability to crash the boards. The 6-5 forward will be in charge of picking up most of Pierce's scoring and providing plenty of help in the rebounding department.
But the key to the season could very well lie in the hands of sophomore center Eric Chenowith. Bigger than last year and with more experience, Chenowith looks confident around the basket. His post moves are solid and his added bulk will help. On the nights when the rest of the team is struggling to find offense, Chenowith has to be the man who takes charge.
The ingredients are there.
Rattiff is an Norman, Okla., senior in journalism.
This Jayhawk team is solid at almost every position, and when healthy, they will have the deepest roster in the conference. The one real question that remains is how they will mesh as the season progresses.
If they do it well, Kansas fans might be in for a nice surprise come next March. And that would be something unexpected.
Kansas trounces Latvia Club
Senior guard Shandy Robbins searches for an open teammate. The Jayhawks played their second exhibition game last night against Latvia-C Club Riga. Photo by Jeff Severin/KANSAN.
By Sam Mellinger
Kansan sportswriter
Mission accomplished—sort of.
Mission at comparison.
After its first exhibition game last Wednesday, the Kansas women's basketball team pointed to team defense as the biggest need for improvement. The Jayhawks did that in dismantling Latvia-Club Riga 95-61 in its second and final exhibition game last night at Allen Field House.
Kansas held the Latvians to 37 percent shooting and forced 26 turnovers, but coach Marian Washington wasn't satisfied.
"I saw a little bit of improvement in our team defense, but it's obviously something that we still need to work on," she said.
Senior Nakia Sanford led the Jayhawks with 22 points in just 17 minutes of action. Half of her points came in the first 3:34 after halftime.
"She's playing with some confidence, and that's something we've got to see this season." Washington said. "Nakia had her shots last year, but she struggled to finish them. She's finishing now."
She was a perfect 8 of 8 from the floor and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line but said Latvia did not guard her well.
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would think they should
Latvia shot 29 3-point shots. It also registered 27 fouls, leading to 34 Kansas free throws.
Latvia played a zone defense.
"They're just kind of unorthodox," Sanford said. "They were shooting shots you wouldn't think they'd shoot."
"That helped us as far as running our offense." Sappford said.
The Jayhawks shot 54 percent from the floor, out-rebounded the Latvians 46-20.
had 20 assists on their 33 field goals and made 14 steals.
preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Lynn Pride had a bad shooting night but still managed to contribute 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. Pride missed her first seven shots and ended the night3 for 11 from the floor.
She said, "Some of the shots she usually makes she wasn't making tonight, but that's going to happen sometimes."
Exactly, Pridesaid.
"This game, knowing it doesn't really count, I didn't walk away with too much of a grudge," she said. "I tried to find other ways to contribute — do more on defense, that kind of thing."
Fourteen Jayhawks played last night, 13 of whom were on the floor before the 10-minute mark in the first half.
Even recently added walk-on Ali Brox got in the game with about two minutes left.
"That was good to see," Washington said. "It was good to get everybody out there and play."
Washington said that trend likely wouldn't continue.
"Once we get into conference play, we're going to play the ones I have confidence in." Washington said.
Those players are starters Pride, Sanford, Jaclyn Johnson, Suzi Raymont and Jennifer Jackson, along with Casey Pruitt, Shandy Robbins and Brooke Reve
Sanford tallies 22 as Jayhawks roll
That rotation will begin with the team's season opener Sunday against No. 7 North Carolina in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic in West Lafayette, and the game will start at 1 p.m., and will be telecast on ESPN2.
Associate sports editor
By Kevin C. Wilson Associate sports editor
Kansas center Nakia Sanford was on fire last night despite a nasty chest cold that limited her to only 17 minutes of playing time. The 6-3 senior scorched Latvia for a career-high 22 points and shot a perfect eight-for-eight from the field to lead the Jayhawks to a 95-61 victory.
"I couldn't even really breathe out there," Sanford said. "I just went out and tried to play as long and hard as I could."
Although she played less than half of the game, Sanford outmuscled and out-hustied Latvia's interior players when she was on the floor.
"She did great," Robbins said.
"I think it has to do a lot of confidence," Sanford said. "I've gotten more aggressive on offense. I've been wanting the ball more inside and my teammates have gotten it to me."
Kansas senior guard Shandy Robbins said that her teammate had improved her game immensely from last season.
"She's coming out ready to play every game, and she's scoring more for us now, which is something we really need."
"She's 20 pounds heavier this season, and it's going to be tough to stop her inside," Washington said. "She's also very agile for her size and her confidence just keeps developing
Kansas coach Marian Washington agreed with Robbins and said that Sanford's size had helped her improve her game this year.
Sanford said that she was trying to develop the ability to produce big numbers in every game.
“It's my last year so I'm looking to be more consistent than in the past,” Sanford said. If she can play like she did last night for the entire season there is no telling what Kansas might achieve.
"We're really fired up about this season," Robbins said. "It's our last year so we want to go out with a bang. We don't want to have any excuses. We are going to go all-out and just see what happens."
Guard Lynn Pride strips the ball from Latvian forward Inara Jekabsone. Pride finished the night with 10 points and two steals. Photo by Dan Elavsky/KANSAN
Two Kansas recruits sign letters of intent
Other prospect held up by Iowa snowstorm should commit today
By Erin Thompson
Kansan sportswriter
Two of Kansas' three recruits signed letters of intent yesterday, and the third was expected to sign today — that is if his letter could make it through an Iowa snowstorm.
Yesterday was the first day of the early signing period for the 1999-2000 freshman class, and Kansas coach Roy Williams said he had received word that two recruits signed their letters.
Andrew Gooden and Nick Collison signed letters agreeing to play for Kansas next season.
Iowan Kirk Hinrich planned to sign a
national letter of intent to play for the Jayhawks next season but could be hindered by a snowstorm that has struck Iowa.
"He plans on signing," said Jim Hinrich, Kirk's father and high school basketball coach, yesterday afternoon. "We have a snowstorm here and did not get (the letter) delivered yet."
Hinrich, a 5-foot-3 point guard from Sioux City, Iowa, averaged 18.3 points per game and shot 61 percent from the field for West High School. He attended Late Night with Roy Williams Oct. 16 and plans to attend six games or more this season in Lawrence, his father said.
The early signing period gives players a chance to concentrate on their senior seasons without the pressure of trying to decide where to play college basketball. This was true for Kirk Hinrich.
"It takes off a lot of pressure," Jim Hinrich said. "He's excited about the early signing period and getting it out of the
Collison and Hinrich played together on their Iowa AAU club team last weekend and spoke about their plans to attend Kansas. The two speak at least once or twice a week, Jim Hinrich said.
way.
Collison, a 6-foot-9 forward from Iowa Falls, Iowa, could be the most highly touted recruit of the three. He enters his senior season at Iowa Falls High School ranked as the No. 2 player in the country by recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons.
Williams said Kansas had not received the letters yet so he could not comment officially about the players. He did say,
Gooden, a 6-foot-10 forward from El Cerrito, Calif., signed a letter of intent with Kansas yesterday as well. Last season, Gooden averaged 17 points and 13 rebounds for El Cerrito High School, leading the team to a 26-7 record. He emerged as a top recruit at this summer's Adidas abc camp in New Jersey, where he was on the camp's all-star team.
wav."
though, that he felt good about the two letters that had been signed.
In other basketball news:
"T.J. did post moves with the trainer over on the side Monday." Williams said. "I was surprised at how he looked, and he went through the 20 minute stretching program the kids go through before practice. That's a little bit quicker than I anticipated."
■ Those teams are looking up for the Jayhawks on the injury front. Senior T.J. Pugh, senior forward, is ahead of schedule for his recovery.
Williams did not expect Pugh to be ready for tomorrow's game but did not expect it to take the projected four weeks for him to recover. Sigg said that the counterproposal was drafted to address these plus additional issues:
Former Jayhawks Paul Pierce, Raef LaFrentz and Jacque Vaughn will be at football's game. The three will be inducted into Kansas' basketball hall of fame.
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