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LATE NIGHT IN THE PHOG
KANSAN.COM
With time, junior guard Devonte' Graham has realized the importance of Late Night in the Phog
Now-junior guard Devonte' Graham takes the ball up the court in the scrimmage at Late Night in the Phog.
File photo/KANSAN
> CHRISTIAN S. HARDY
@ByHardy
The first time Devonte' Graham saw Allen Fieldhouse lined with Kansas fans in crimson and blue was not on a recruiting visit or in Kansas' first exhibition game. As a nontraditional recruit who signed with Appalachian State then later backed out of his letter of intent, he never saw Allen Fieldhouse full on a visit.
When he was a baby-faced freshman with a short haircut and bubbling nerves jogging onto a foggy court for the Late Night in the Phog scrimmage — that was the first time he saw Allen Fieldhouse (mostly) full. Back then, in 2014, he was a reserve guard, nervous for the dancing, his first shot, his first impression on Kansas fans.
Now, he'll be a guide for the recruits coming to campus this weekend, aiming to show them that Lawrence is the best place to play college basketball in the nation. Now it's freshmen Josh Jackson and Udoka Azubuike who are the nervous ones — or at least they should be. Graham said.
"I think Udoka might be the one who's a little bit more nervous than everybody right now," Graham said. "I think Josh Jackson and Malik [Newman] might be two of the worst (dancers) on the team right now."
But in the two years since, Graham has learned plenty about the importance of the event, both from a recruiting and a fan stand-point.
The first time Graham saw the Fieldhouse, though, it wasn't quite full. That was the year the Royals made it to the American League Championship Series, and eventually would make it to the World Series. So, naturally, some corners of the
Fieldhouse were bare, unlike the year before, when thousands were turned away to see Andrew Wiggins in his first appearance at the Fieldhouse.
"It wasn't as packed as it usually was," Graham said. "I think coach was a little upset about that. .. Seeing Allen [Fieldhouse] packed is different than just walking in and seeing it empty. You can't imagine it."
But for those fans,it'll start at 12 p.m.,five hours before the doors are even open to students. It was one time in a myriad of others that Graham has come to realize just how important of an event Late Night is.
Last Sunday, when Graham was watching the Chiefs top the Jets at Arrowhead Stadium, several Kansas fans approached him and started talking about Late Night. For Graham, it'll start around 6:30
p. m., when the men's basketball team is expected to take the floor.
"It's a big thing," Graham said. "It's huge."
And in that time, Graham has become used to showing the recruits around when they come to Lawrence. This year, there are 11 recruits confirmed as taking visits to Late Night - five official and six unofficial, including ESPN's No.11 and No.20 ranked recruits.
When it's over, he'll go to coaches and tell them how he thinks players would fit in at Kansas. He'll push harder for some than for others, if he likes their "vibe" or the way they play. But to the recruits, when they're at the $12 million basketball apartment facility or the team's locker room, Graham's pitch is subtle.
"I'm not too pushy as a recruiter, but they're around me," Graham said. "You know, it's not easy, it's not going to be easy. You're going to have to come in here and work."
But one thing he tells every recruit is the same, and it's a glowing endorsement of Bill Self's program and the tradition of basketball at Kansas alike.
"There's nothing like being here," Graham said. "That's one thing I always say. No matter where you come from, it's one of the best places to be. That's really what I tell them."
Senior Caelynn Manning-Allen dances at Late Night in the Phog 2015.
Missy Minear/KANSAN
Players reflect on Late Night
▶ MATT HOFFMANN
@MattHoffmannUDK
For the last 32 years, Late Night in the Phog has signaled that the Kansas basketball season is just around the corner. Late Night's traditions — the skits, band and scrimmage — spark excitement among many Jayhawk fans. For the student athletes, it's just as magical, albeit overwhelming.
For the Kansas women's basketball team, Late Night signals the excitement that comes with the start of the season.
While the players will be out of their comfort zone Saturday night, they will at least get to pick the songs.
"It was nice when we're out on the floor, it's kind of dark so you can't see everybody," sophomore guard Kylee Kopatich said.
"They ask us what songs we like, I'm pretty sure I've almost choreographed our whole dance," senior guard Caelynn Manning-Allen said. "Coach Schneider is really open to us having fun and enjoying ourselves."
As a senior, Manning-Allen is well versed in the traditions and pageantry of Late Night along with the emotions involved.
"It's fun, it's so much fun but my freshman year was scary honestly," Manning-Allen said.
Caelynn Manning-Allen Senior guard
According to Kopatich, fans in attendance should be in for a treat, of sorts. "I'm not the best dancer, so when I try to dance it's kind of funny to watch," she said.
"I wish I could do it every year."
The first time Kopatich attended Late Night she was in high school, and almost didn't make it inside.
As a freshman last year, Kopatich couldn't help but take in the magic that is Allen Fieldhouse from down on the hardwood.
"It was when Andrew Wiggins was here so that was the time when it was frantic and not everybody could go," she said. "Luckily, I had that extra ticket."
"I was like oh my gosh,
Late Night isn't only about dancing and sketch comedy. It's also the first time the public will see this year's team moving the ball up and down the court after their trip to Europe in the summer.
For Manning-Allen, Saturday's Late Night will be a much different experience. It'll be her last, which according to her is the perfect time to bust out some never-before-seen dance moves.
"Oh, you're going to see a whole bunch of dance moves from me," she said.
this is my time," Kopatich said.
"We got a lot closer and I feel like that trip really helped us build chemistry," Manning-Allen said.
It's yet to be seen how the chemistry from overseas will factor in stateside, but Saturday night will be the first small glimpse.
At last year's Late Night, the men's and women's teams scrimmaged for roughly 10 minutes each.
"I'm sad to be leaving," Manning-Allen said. "I wish I could do it every year."
Four 3-on-3 teams to play at Late Night on Saturday
Andrew Rosenthal/KANSAN
om "Sticky Bands."
A player from "Hinrich Maneuver" charges the lane against an opponent from "Sticky Bandits."
There are 53 teams signed up and participating in the tournament, which includes 39 teams in the men's bracket and 14 teams in the women's bracket. The tournament is only open to current University students.
"With this being the first year that we have conducted this event, we were pleased with the number of teams and students that signed up to play," Jon Randle, assistant director of intramural sports, said. "Our hope is that in the future we are able to increase our number of student participants and
Four teams will experience playing on one of the best courts in college basketball prior to Late Night in the Phog at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday.
▶ WESLEY DOTSON
@WesleyDee23
The process for determining those four teams is underway, after the 3-on-3 Late Night in the Phog Basketball Tournament began Monday at the Ambler Student Recreation Center.
The men's bracket began on Monday, and will include five single-elimination rounds before the championship game at Allen Fieldhouse.
Sixteen second-round games will be played Tuesday, eight third-round games will be played on Wednesday and four quarterfinal games will be played on Thursday.
The women's bracket begins Wednesday. The first round consists of six games. The quarterfinals will be played Thursday.
The semifinal games will also take place at the rec on Oct.1 at 12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m.
The games will be played to 11 points, with a team needing to win by two. There is a cap of 15 points, which means that in the event of both teams scoring over 11 points, the first one to reach 15 will automatically receive the victory if a team cannot force a two-point lead.
teams."
Each semifinal game will be played on Oct. 1 at 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the rec.
According to its website, Coaches vs. Cancer "empowers coaches, their teams, and communities to join the fight against cancer by participating in awareness efforts, advocacy programs, and fundraising activities."
The program has raised over $87 million in funds to help the American Cancer Society.
The tournament will also have a positive impact. Intramural sports is one of the main sponsors in the event, and the proceeds generated will be donated to Coaches vs. Cancer.
For the championship games, the winners of each game will be determined by the team with the most points after a 15-minute time limit.
For the tournament, each team paid a $25 entry fee. According to Randle, the projected revenue donated to Coaches vs. Cancer will be $1,325.
The women's championship game is scheduled for 5:45 p.m., and the men's championship game will follow at 6:05 p.m.
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