LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
KUED • SPORTS
AUGUST, 1996 PAGE 19E
LaFrentz 'heck of a player'
Continued from page 18
cent shooting last year. He also grabbed 5.3 rebounds and gained some experience in the summer playing for USA Basketball's Under 22 team.
"Your sophomore year, you get better because you are not overwhelmed," Williams said. "The biggest thing is he's got to get in a situation where his intensity level doesn't fluctuate."
Raef LaFrentz, KU's 6-11 junior power forward from Monona, Iowa, is the Jayhawks' fifth returning starter. A first-team all-Big Eight pick, he averaged 13.4 points on 54.3 percent shooting with 8.2 boards.
"He was much more comfortable and aggressive last year," Williams praised. "Your freshman year, you'll find half the time you are tentative. He was not that way last year. He has to realize how good he is and how explosive he is and how big he is. He can really be a heck of a player. The young man can score and the young man can rebound."
Sixth-man deluxe B.J. Williams, a 6-8 senior from Wichita, averaged 4.8 points and 3.9 boards. He came on strong late, scoring 18 points against Arizona.
"The last half of the year, B.J. played probably his best basketball," Williams said."In the past he had not been physically big enough to battle with people, yet he didn't use his quickness. The second half he used it a lot more."
Billy Thomas, a 6-4 junior from Shreveport, La., averaged 4.7 points on 35.8 percent shooting. He hit just 33.6 percent of his threes.
"Billy probably had a disappointing year for him. He expected to do more," Williams said. "But he was hurt, with nagging injuries. If he is stronger, healthier he will
See Robertson, page 20
EARL RICHARDSON/JOURNAL-WORLD PHOTO
Raef LaFrentz showed a more aggressive side as a sophomore last year.
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