UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday. March 4. 1996
3B
Jayhawks give pointers to Special Olympians
Donating time helps team as well as participants
By Jenni Carlson
Kahsaen sportswriter
Raef LaFrentz towered over the aspiring basketball player.
At 6-foot-11, LaFrentz could have passed around, shot above or dunked on the overmatched player. But LaFrentz did nothing of the sort when the entire Kansas men's basketball team took two hours yesterday with area Special Olympians.
That's something LaFrentz and his teammates often take for granted.
LaFrentz exploited his size and lifted several Special Olympians in wheelchairs up to the basket for a slam dunk.
"Something like this helps us more than it even helps them," Kansas freshman forward T.J. Pugh said. "It helps us realize how fortunate we are. And actually, it's really a fun thing to do."
Fum came in the form of cheering, clapping and high fives — lots of high fives.
After doing stretching exercises, the Special Olympians rotated to different stations where they worked on layups, dribbling, free throws and passing.
Then, the Jayhawks gave a dunking and three-point shooting exhibition before scrimmaging with the Special Olympians.
The Kansas players weren't given much direction beforehand about teaching the Special Olympians.
Brian Hott / KANSAN
"We were just told to be positive and be enthusiastic." Kansas freshman guard Ryan Robertson said. "Coach told us they think this is big time and is something that means a lot to them."
Kansas' relationship with Special Olympics goes back to the Larry Brown era. When Roy Williams came to Kansas in 1988, the team continued to donate time to it as well as to Big Brothers/Big Sisters and to the Salvation Army's Christmas Family Adoption.
The participants get a thrill, too. It is a highlight for the Special Olympians to work with players they often see on television, said Hawk Kair, a Lawrence resident who has worked with disabled persons.
Special Olympian Alan Marsell gets a boost from Kansas forward RaeF LaFrentz yesterday.
Spending time with the Special Olympians instead of practicing might not seem in Kansas' best interest as the postseason looms. But it may be a positive thing after the Jayhawks' 85-79 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday.
"It's something we can kind of use to take the tension away and get back together as a group on a good note," LaFrentz said.
Men's tennis improves regional record
By Spencer Duncan Kansan sportswriter
The No. 22 Kansas men's tennis team defeated two of its regional opponents this weekend.
After two losses a week ago, the Jayhawks cruised to two consecutive victories on Friday and Saturday.
Kansas won 15 of 18 matches to
Kansas won 15 o defeat regional opponents Tulsa and Drake and improved its record to 9-3.
"They were definitely not of the same quality as some of the
Kansas defeated Drake for the second time this season 7-0 as the Jayhawks won all six singles matches and won two of three doubles matches.
ranked teams we have played," men's tennis coach Michael Center said. "But they were still tough, and I thought we played well. We beat them badly."
Teams were awarded one point for the entire doubles competition and one point for each singles match.
Brian Hott / KANSAN
Kansas sophomore Enrique Abarao returns a volley in regional match action.
"They were a good team, but we got
good play from everybody," said Kansas sophomore Enrique Abaroa.
The only loss of the evening came in doubles when sophomore Xavier Avila and senior Victor Fimbres lost to brothers Robert and Rene Novotny 9-8 (6).
After losing to the Novotny brothers in doubles, No. 36 Fimbes defeated No. 48 Robert Novotny 6-3, 6-3 and Avila defeated Rene Novotny 6-2, 6-2 in singles.
After sweeping Drake, the Jayhawks faced Tulsa on Saturday and won 6-1. "We've worked hard to improve," Abaroa said. "This weekend shows we have done that."
Kansas began the match by winning two of the three doubles matches.
It was the 12th time Kansas has won the doubles point, and they haven't lost it once this season.
In singles, Kansas won five of the six matches. Abaroa disposed of Gareth Williams 6-1, 6-0, and freshman Luis Uribe clinched Kansas' victory when he defeated Steve Hollick 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.
Kansas' lone singles loss came when Drake's Joel McGregor defeated freshman Fernando Sierra 6-7, 7-6, 6-3.
Kansas has defeated all five regional opponents this season and improved its record against regional foes to 31-1, dating back to Jan 5, 1994.
"We have been the strongest team in the region for three years," Center said. "We come out with the attitude that we are the best, and we are out to prove it."
Women lose third consecutive match
Kansan staff report
It was a rough weekend for the No. 25 Kansas women's tennis team.
The Jayhawks lost to both No. 19
Auburn and No.21 Alabama.
On Saturday, the Auburn Tigers defeated the Jayhawks 5-4.
The Jayhawks split the singles competition with Auburn 3-3. Kansas junior Kyle Hunt, ranked No. 7, sophomores Christie Sim, ranked No. 74, and Maria Abatjoglou won their matches.
Kansas then needed to win two of three doubles matches to win the match. But Sim and freshman Kris Sell lost to Auburn's Alexandra LaGrange and Heidi Stewart 6-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Alabama freshman Bali Camino, ranked No. 91, upset Hunt 6-4, 7-6. Hunt's loss snapped a 19-match winning streak dating back to October.
Yesterday, the Jayhawks faced off against Alabama and continued to struggle, losing to the Crimson Tide 5-4.
Sim and junior Jenny Atkerson were the
Jayhawks' only winners in singles competition.
Kansas needed to win all three doubles matches but came up one match short. Sim and junior Bianca Kirchof lost to Alabama's Camino and Whitney Dill 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
The Jayhawks lost their third consecutive match, dropping them to a 4-5 record.
Kansas will try to break the losing streak when Minnesota and Maryland come to Lawrence this weekend.