FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2004
BASKETBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
5B
ANSAN
Niang: A player for the people
Junior forward Moulaye Niang stretched before a practice last season. Niang came to Kansas from Dakar, Senegal. He seriously considered transferring after last season, but a talk with his mother and the unexpected transfer of David Padgett kept Niang in Kansas.
Jared Soares/KANSAN
BY FRANK TANKARD
ftankard@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWATER
On Aug. 5, 2000, an airplane landed in San Diego. On board was a tall, skinny, 17-year-old from Senegal looking for an education and a chance to play college basketball.
Moulaye Niang had grown up happily in Dakar, Senegal, a city of more than 2.5 million people, with his parents, two older brothers and five older sisters. He excelled in soccer, and later basketball.
"A lot of people think of Africa as just all bad, you know, all bad fighting and people don't eat," Niang, a 6-foot-10 junior forward, said. "That's not the case. We weren't rich, but we were all right."
But when an American scout offered him a chance to play basketball and finish high school at a private Christian school in the San Diego area, he seized the opportunity, and left his life behind.
"With a diploma from the United States, I can pretty much work wherever I want to work," he said. "With a degree from Senegal, I probably can only work in Senegal."
When Niang stepped off the plane, he knew little English and less about life in the United States. In his two years at El Cajon Christian, his life consisted mostly of studying and basketball. He didn't get out much, spending most Saturday nights at home with his host family.
He graduated from El Cajon Christian in 2002 with averages of 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, and a 3.92 GPA. As a senior, he was selected to both the All-San Diego County team and the San Diego Union-Tribune All-Academic team.
Niang had earned a scholarship to a college of his choice, and when Roy Williams courted him, he picked Kansas.
"Here you play against the best and with the best every time," Niang said. "And I think that's the big factor if you want to improve your game and get better."
At Kansas, he met other students from Senegal and quickly made new friends.
"Living in California, I didn't go out a lot," he said. "I was always at home. When I came to Kansas, I had more freedom to go out and experience life."
He also experienced snow for the first time that winter. Niang said he might have frozen to death if Wayne Simien's mother hadn't let him borrow a pair of long underwear.
"Those kept me warm for the winter, and I'm thankful for that," he said.
Niang played an average of 6.9 minutes per game his freshman season, averaging 1.3 points and 1.5 rebounds. Although he played little, he quickly became a favorite among Kansas students, who routinely yelled,
"Moooo," whenever he stepped onto the court.
"They make me feel at home; they make me feel that I'm welcome," he said. "It's not just on the basketball court. Everywhere I go, the fans like me, and I like the fans, because I respect every fan."
Last season, under coach Bill Self, Niang's playing time dipped to 4.7 minutes per game, with his scoring and rebounding averages decreasing to 0.9 and 1.1 per game, respectively. After the season, he strongly considered transferring to either San Diego State or Texas Christian, where he would likely get more playing time.
But after a talk with his mother and the unexpected transfer of freshman forward David Padgett to Louisville, which moved him up a spot on the depth chart, he decided to return for the 2004-2005 season.
Niang said his mother told him, "Wherever you go, you got to make new friends, and that's
just helping the team win, any possible way."
Moulaye Niang Junior forward
"M y per sonal goal is
going to take time. Right now you already have friends, people that love you, and you love the players. Just find a way to help yourself get better so you can play more."
With the addition of freshman big men C.J. Giles, Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson, Niang will have to fight for playing time once again. But he remains positive.
BY JONATHAN KEALING
jkealing@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWINTER
"My personal goal is just helping the team win, any possible way," he said.
Edited by Stephanie Lovett
When Kansas coach Marian Washington left, so did most of the team's post players.
The perimeter players stayed, however, and will be crucial to the success of Bonnie Henrickson's first Kansas team.
Leading the perimeter players will be the job of junior Hallman.
HALLMAN
Last season, she led the team in three-pointers and contributed 6.9 points per game.
Her point totals weren't as high as those of her freshman season, but this year, she should have an opportunity for a career season.
Surveying what she had available to her at the start of the season. Henrickson included Hallman in her list of "pleasant surprises."
"I think Erica Hallman can score," Henrickson said.
If this team is to have any success this season, Hallman's going to have to do lots of that.
While the Jahayhwks' leading scorer from last year, Crystal Kemp, does return to the team, many of last year's biggest contributors are gone.
In addition, the team has lost a lot of size and depth at the post position.
With Kemp the primary scoring threat from inside, opposing teams will be able to key on her, opening up chances for Hallman and others on the perimeter.
"People are going to doubleteam Crystal, and we're going to have to kick it out and take the
shots." Hallman said.
Last season, Hallman went 33-90 with three-pointers.
She was the team's primary outside threat all season, but the focus of the Jayhawks in scoring was getting the ball inside.
This season, the team will not be able to do that and will have to use other options for putting points on the board, and to set up its inside game.
"I think we'll be a lot more balanced," Hallman said. "We may even depend heavily on the outside."
To prepare for this, Henrickson works on three pointers and perimeter shots constantly in practice.
"In every shooting drill, there's always a three-point session." she said.
Hallman's looking forward to the increased visibility she will have this season, as well as an ability to return to a style of play she experienced before coming to Kansas.
"That's going to open stuff up for me." Hallman said. "I'm ready to score. I'm used to scoring, but I kind of changed my role when I got here. I'm looking forward to putting it up."
With the sudden departure of senior Larisha Graves, Hallman will have an even more important role.
Now, instead of having some experience alongside of her, Hallman will take a leadership role.
Regardless of who joins Hallman on the perimeter, the team will be faced with playing an entirely new style of offense.
In that new style, Hallman will have a chance to show off her skills.
"This season is going to be a change," she said. "We're trying to reestablish tradition here."
Edited by Danielle Hillix
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