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6B Friday, April 1, 1988/University Daily Kansan
THE FINAL FOUR
Piper appreciates KU successes
By Jeff Moberg
Kansan staff writer
Chris Piper would agree that some things in life do take a little luck because five years ago, the 6-foot-8 forward never expected to be where he is now.
In that time, he has played in four NCAA tournaments, including his second Final Four appearance Saturday, won his first 55 basketball games at home, and his high school retired his number.
Piper described it all as shocking. During his senior year at Lawrence High School, Piper was an all-state player and was nominated to the Kansas 6A Championship.
Those accomplishments, however,
and his 14.4 points and 8.1 rebounds a
game did not create any waves a few
blocks away at Allen Field House.
Not wanting to end his basketball
career, Piper imagined himself
accepting a scholarship to a state
unior college or the NAIA school.
The thought of playing college basketball in his own back yard never crossed his mind.
But two weeks before Piper got his high school diploma, he received a call from Kansas. The Jayhawks wanted to know if he would be interested in a scholarship and red-shirting his first year.
"It it was something I never, I mean never, expected." Piper said. "It's something to dream about playing here, but it was something I never thought or talked about because it was like being president."
"I jumped at the chance," Pipe said. "I didn't care about being redshirted. The chance to come and play here was the opportunity I wouldn't have passed up for anything.
"A lot of the people who recruited me out of high school said that no, no, you shouldn't go redshirt and do this and that, but I said, 'No way.' This is Kansas University. This is where I want to play."
Former Kansas coach Ted Owens did not pay much attention to Piper. But when Larry Brown took over in 1833, Kay Johnson, the wife of former athletic director Monte Johnson, told Brown that he should take a look at Piper. Brown has never regretted his decision.
"I's almost like a blessing having him," Brown said. "When you coach, there are a lot of things that please you, but nothing pleases you more than seeing somebody like him get a chance to play where he wants to.
"It's just worked out really well. When I saw how unselfish he was, I said, 'That's the kind of kid I want to be associated with.' I don't think people ever will measure what he has done for our program on a stat sheet, but I don't take what he's done for the program lightly."
It would be difficult to find Piper's name filling many Jayhawk record books (about the only record that Piper does own outright is the 123 personal fools he challenged up last year), but numbers have not accurately reflected his defensive skills.
Hard work, not luck, creates some opportunities. Respect grew yearly for Piper's defensive play. Now, Piper usually guards the opposing team's top scorer.
And considering some of the offensive talent in the Big Eight Conference recently, such as Missouri's Derrick Chievous, Iowa State's Jeff Grayer and Oklahoma's Darryl Kennedy, it has not been easy.
"A lot of times when they call me the best defensive player, they don't have any other label to put on me," Piper said. "You try and find something you can do well for the team. Offense isn't one of my great specialities, but defense is something anybody can do."
Brown added, "We wouldn't give him that responsibility if we didn't think he could do it. I think he is as sound any defensive player I've had the chance to coach, and I've coached some good ones."
When the Jayhawks began this season, a trip to the Final Four was thought to be a definite possibility. But the loss of several key players to academics and injuries, a mid-season slump, some tough conference losses and an overtime loss to Duke at home February 20 had Piper and the rest of the team struggling for an NCAA tournament bid.
"All we have to do is concentrate on the rest of the season," Piper said after the Duke game, "and if we get into the tournament, we can surprise a lot of teams and go a long way."
Even then, Piper kept up his confidence.
At a news conference Tuesday, Piper said, "Obviously, we did that. We've played well and gotten some breaks."
Piper has not let his recurring groin injury, which will require off-season surgery, cloud his senior season, but he said that the season had its low points.
"I went through times this year when I wondered why I was playing," Piper said. "I was just sick of it. I felt like somebody else younger should have been out there. They could have benefited from the experience."
When Piper steps onto the floor of Kemper Arena on Saturday, all the season's disappointments will be forgotten.
For all the adversity, Brown said Piper would be better off.
"A lot of kids would have packed it in." Brown said. "The bottom line is that he is going to be a better person for it."
Another area in which Piper excelled was the classroom, where luck is not such a big factor. This season, he was voted to the academic all-conference team.
Piper has no plans for after basketball season and graduation as of yet. A job in the business field is a possibility, but he said that basketball definitely was out.
Despite all the accomplishments, Piper said he had not worked hard enough.
"I've always wanted to graduate, but I don't think I've put as much effort into my grades that I could have," he said. "It's so easy to blow off some things when you're playing basketball. I got through, and I did well; but I could have done better."
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