University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, February 11, 1987
Sports
11
Fans cheer Woodard's return to KU
Lynette Woodard, a former KU basketball player, receives a plaque and a giant-sized card signed by Lawrence area resident
By DIANE FILIPOWSKI
Staff writer
For the first time in Lynette Woodard's career, she played basketball in front of a crowd of about 10,800 in Allen Field House.
Last night, fans turned out to welcome the first woman Harlem Glitterbear.
"KU is my biggest thrill with the Globetrotters so far." Woodard said before the game. "This is my home, and I will feel good about to touch."
I know I will be getting the ball a lot as I am in Kansas. Woodson said.
But would Woodard receive any special treatment from her team-mates last night because she was in Lawrence? Woodard said no.
The crowd greeted Woodard with a standing ovation when the announcer introduced her, something that might have only been a dream when she was a collegiate player.
Woodard admitted that she would be nervous when she took her first steps out onto the field house court.
"I will be nervous when the game starts, but my teammates will help me out," Woodard said.
and help her. they did.
When Woodard received her standing ovation, her teammates stepped out to help her receive her applause, and then hugged and kissed their teammate.
Woodard's cervousness showed during the Globetrotter's warm-up routine when she missed her first couple of shots on her home court.
But it didn't take long for the former Kansas All-American and two-time Olympian to feel at home.
When Woodward entered the game in the second period, she worked smoothly into the familiar Globetrotter weave and scored an easy layup.
Woodard's Globetrotter friends, as well as her friends in the audience, applauded her scoring performances.
When Woodard stepped up to the foul line to shoot two shots, James "Twiggy" Sanders, the clown prince of basketball, called to her from across the gym. When she turned and
'The energy that flows through the crowd keeps me going.I hear the soft laughter in the crowd,and I know that people are having fun.'
- Lynette Woodard
Harlem Globetrotter
looked. Sanders and the crowd waved.
Sanders then watched Woodard make her two points while sitting on the lap of Kansas women's basketball coach Marian Washington, Woodard's former coach.
mates made her life on the road as a
Globetrotter an envious one.
Woodward said that the energy of the crowd and the support of her team-
"The energy that flows through the crowd keeps me going." Woodard said. "I hear the soft laughter in the crowd, and I know that people are having fun."
Much of the laughter in the crowd came from the many children who stayed up late last night to watch Woodard and the Globetrotters play.
Tim McLees, 11. Lecompton, said he was happy to be in his front-row seat watching the basketball wizards.
"I found out in January that the Globetrotters were going to be here, and I was pretty excited," McLees said. "So, my parents bought tickets."
Since she was a little girl, Woodard said, her dream was to become a Globetrotter, and it was a belief in herself that brought her home last night wearing the team's red, white and blue.
"Whatever dreams you have, they are possible," Woodard said. "If you believe in yourself, your dreams will always come true."
The influence she had over children was special. Woodard said, probably just as special as was the piece of paper she autographed before the game to a wide-eyed, 6-year-old girl.
Globetrotter Twiggy Sanders, the court jester, entertains the audience with his hidden ball trick. About 10,800 fans showed up at Allen Field House last night to see the Globetrotters perform.
Recruits to sign
By DIANE FILIPOWSKI
Staff writer
Today is the first day players can sign national letters of intent.
Some of the waiting and anticipating for Kansas football coaches will be over today as prospective high school and junior college athletes from across the nation make their verbal commitments official.
Bowen, a 6-foot-4, 255-pound line-
man, was a consensus all-stater.
Included in those who have given their verbal commitments to play for the Jayhawks is Parsons High School's Russe Bowen, who chose Kansas over Missouri, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
Lawrence High School's Lance Flachbarth also said he would sign
Flachsbarth, a consensus all-state quarterback last season, led the undefeated Lions to a Class 6-A championship while passing for 1,020 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Another recruit from this area, Phil Hopper, last week verbally committed to sign with the Jayhawks. Hopper, a 6-5, 252-pound lineman from Ruskin High School in Kansas City, Mo, earned first team All-Kansas City and played as a defensive end and chose Kansas to over Iowa State and Oklahoma State.
Other players who made verbal commitments include:
Tim Adams, lineman. 6:5. 260 pounds.
Dodge City, Community College. two-year starter. second-season All-ijayhawk Junior College Conference team.
Mongo Allen, LB, 6-2, 270. Deli City, Ky.
Class 5 A All-State selection, 132 tacks last year, ran a 4 6 40-yard dash and also played tailback.
Tony Barker, lineman 6-4, 240. Wichita consensual all-music, also recruited by N.C. Chancellor.
Wolf Blaser, TE, 6-5, 260, Toppea West, alliance selection by the Toppea Capital Journal
Russ Bowen, Lineman. G-4, 255. Parsons High School; consensus member of the Topeka Capitol Journal and the Wichita Eagle. Beauregard Jr. University recruited by Missouri, Oklahoma and Oklahoma
Lance Flachsbath, QB, 6-5, 215;
Lawrence: conscience all-stater, passed
for 1,028 yards and 15 touchdowns his senior season.
Frank Hatchett, RB5-10, 180; El Dorado also recruited by Oklahoma. Missouri and Arizona.
S毛思 Holland, lineman. 6-4. 230; Shawnee Mission West, first team all-state selection by the Topeka Capital Journal, second team by Wachita Eagle-Eacon, All-Kansas City
Maurice Hooks RB, FS. 6, 203. Ormaa South. rush for 1,494 yards and scored 19 touchdowns during career; also recruited by Missouri.
Jim New **WR-6** 11, Northbrook in
Houston. #16, receptions two-second team.
Inside Hall
Hill Phoper, DE, Kansas City Mo., Ruskin,
team all-Hawkes City Metro also recruited
Russell.
Kyle Schenker, BQE: 6-25, Oswego 2-A all-stater and third-team all-class pick by the Topeka Capitol Journal; passed for 3.854 yards and 33 touchdowns in his career.
Mark Vrbas, ineman, 6-5, 220. Awdov;
consensus second-team, all-class selection
**Kevin Verdugo**, GB 4-6, 200. Pittsburgh,
passed for 769 yards and rushed for 128 yards.
Mario Vidolfi, inmanen. 6-4, 240. Cape Coral.
f1, first team All Southwest Florida selection.
Gary Johnson, inmanen. 6-4, 250.
Generals play tough despite losing streak
By DAVID BOYCE
Staff writer
One thing's for certain, the Washington Generals halftime locker room is nothing like that of Larry Brown's.
Usually when a team is trailing at halftime, the coach is yelling at the players about their mistakes.
But not the Generals, the traveling opponent team of the Harlem Globetrotters. At halftime last night, down 52-49, instead of going over basketball strategy, the Generals were playing cards.
"We push them to their limits," player-coach Gerald Hooks said at halftime. "It's tough to lose every game, but I play because I enjoy the game of basketball."
Despite this loose halftime attitude, the Generals are a'team that tries every game.
The Generals have lost more than 8,000 games to the Globetrotters, and they have not defeated them since 1971. On Jan. 5 of that year in Martin, Tenn., the Generals won their last game, 100-99.
Hooks has never played on a Generals team that has beaten the Globetrotters.
Yet the Generals treat each game like a real game situation, even though some members said that it was difficult with all the Globetrotter antics.
"Each game we play, we try to gain the respect of the fans," Hooks said. "Kansas has good friends and they
know the game, and we are out there trying to impress them."
Most of the players on the Generals have college experience. For example, Hooks played in New Jersey.
The benefits of traveling with the Trotters also helped make their seemingly endless losing streak more bearable.
"I am used to playing an aggressive game," he said. "But now I have to keep patient with the all Globetroters, tricks throughout the game."
Second-year General player Steve Schmidt said that in his short time with the team, he had been to Australia and all over Europe.
"Playing with the Generals gives me the opportunity to work with kids," he said. "I have the chance to give something back."
Schmidt, who played college ball at Central Michigan, said that the transition of playing against the Globrotters took time to adjust to.
Their goal is still much like the Globetrotters' goal, and that is to make kids laugh. Judging from the response of the crowd of 10,800, the Generals received their share of laughter from the fans.
Although it is not terribly important, the final score was 97-85. The Generals lost again.
KU may face Missouri without Hunter
But for the Generals, no matter how hard they work, they cannot beat the Globetrotters.
But Schmidt does not mind, he said, because traveling with the Globetrotters is a great experience.
By ROB KNAPP
Stop Derrick Chievous.
The Kansas Jayhawks, minus starting guard Cedric Hunter, will try to do just that when they take on the Missouri Tigers tonight at 8:05 in the Hearnes Center. The game will not be televised.
Men's Basketball
Hunter, who sprained his left ankle in Saturday's game with Oklahoma State, is listed as very doubtful for the contest. Hunter did not practice with the team yesterday.
Few teams have been able to shut down Chievous this season. In Missouri's 24 games, only Virginia has kept Chievous, a 6-foot-7 guard, from scoring more than 10 points. Only two other teams, Chaminade University of Honolulu and Kansas State, have held Chievous under 20.
He scored a game-high 29 points when Kansas and Missouri met earlier in the season in Lawrence. Danny Manning answered with 25 points for Kansas, though, and the Jayhawks won 71-10 when Chris Piper hit a free throw with 5 seconds left.
"You can't stop him," Kansas coach Larry Brown said of Chievous after the game. "He's just a terrific player."
Brown said yesterday that he didn't think his team would have better luck shutting Chievous this game. Brown used Piper and freshman Keith Harris to guard Chievous most of last game.
Harris has almost recovered from the sprained ankle he suffered in Friday's practice. He saw limited action in yesterday's practice and was listed as probable for Missouri.
Guard Kevin Pritchard, who has been suffering from tendinitis in his left knee, is listed as probable also. His knee is still tender, but he is about 85 percent healthy, said Mark Cairns, assistant athletic trainer.
The Jayhawks, 18-5 overall and in the big Eight Conference, will try to keep pace with conference co-leaders. Oklahoma footballers play at Oklahoma State tonight
Kansas and Oklahoma play Saturday at Allen Field House.
KU vs. Missouri
Tip-off: 8:05 p.m. today
Hearnes Center
Radio: KJHK-FM, KLZR-FM
Probable Starters
Kansas (18-5)
**Kansas (18-5)**
F Danny Manning (6-11), 22.1 ppg
F Chris Piper (6-8), 6.7 ppg
C Mark Pellock (6-9), 3.0 ppg
G Kevin Pritchard (6-3), 10.1 ppg
G Mark Turkeon (5-10), 5.0 ppg
Probable Starters
Missouri (15-9)
**Missouri** (15-9)
F Mike Sandbothe (6-8), 6.6 ppg.
F Nathan Buntin (6-9), 13.3 ppg.
C Greg Church (6-7), 5.3 ppg.
G Lynn Hardy (6-2), 11.5 ppg.
G Derrick Chevrolet (6-7), 24.9 ppg.
Missouri is 15-9 overall and 5-3 in the Big Eight after an 81-78 loss to Oklahoma in Norman on Saturday. Oklahoma's Tim McCalister hit a three-point shot with 6 seconds left to beat the Tigers.
The Jayhawks, after starting the season 2-5 away from home, have
won three games in a row outside of the field house.
Brown has won six of the seven times his teams have faced Missouri. Missouri coach Norm Stewart is 21-26 and has won six games. Kansas leads the series 136-76.
Switzer's statements may violate NCAA rules
United Press International
OMAHA, Neb. — The Big Eight Conference will review statements made by Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer, who may have violated an National Collegiate Athletic Association rule when he said that an Omaha football player could probably play the next week, a conference official said.
Big Eight Associate Commissioner
Prentice Gautt said that the Big Eight office would look at a copy of an Omaha World-Herald article about a press conference Switzer held to talk about Omaha Central running back Leodis Flowers.
"I guess we will be looking at it quickly, then sending it to the NCAA." Gautt said.
The article was published after a visit by Switzer to the home of Flowers on Sunday night. Before the
home visit, Switzerland a short press conference at the Blue Jay tavern.
Among the comments that Switzer made include:
- "Leodis is a difference maker. We need running backs. We're going all over the country in search of one, and here's one in Big Eight territory."
"If he goes to Oklahoma, he could probably play for us next year. He'd probably be a second-team player as a freshman."
David Berst, NCAA director of enforcement, said that the potential for problem existed when a coach commented about prospective recruits, but he declined to comment on how Swisser's remarks might be viewed by the NCAA.
"Should it be a violation, there would be a wide range of possible penalties," Berst said yesterday,
See SWITZER, p. 12, col. 1