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Tuesday, February 9, 1988 / University Daily Kansan
Junior varsity glad for chance to play
By Elaine Sung Kansan sports writer
Under the shadow of a nationally known Kansas varsity basketball team exists a separate group of 14 players, thrown together and thankful for a chance to play in a Kansas uniform.
These 14 players make up the Kansas junior varsity team. They now have a 5-4 record, after defeat Washburn junior varsity 71-48 last night in Topeka.
Sharing the responsibility of coaching the JV players this year are graduate assistant coach John Robic and student assistant coach Mark Turgeon.
Both coaches also work with the varsity team, and sometimes it gets tiring going through five hours of practice, the coaches said.
"We practice at odd times, sometimes in the mornings," Robic said. "Sometimes it's hard, yelling at them. All we're trying to do is teach them the right things. If they came to tryouts, they have to accept the things we have to say."
Coach Larry Brown started the JV program when he arrived at Kansas four years ago.
"Brown talks to them once in a while," said Mark Perlmutter, head manager for the JV team. "After the varsity practice, sometimes Danny (Manning) will do a workout practice with them."
Kerry Zimmerman, a 5-9 guard, was on the first JV team four years ago. The team has not changed much since then. The bottom line is still to have fun.
"The team is for people who can't play on scholarship to get a chance to play ball," he said. "We still take it seriously. We play to win every time we step on the court. We're in a Kansas uniform, and that means something to us."
The JV team plays in gold-colored uniforms, the same ones that the varsity had ordered at the beginning of the season, but chose not to wear.
Their practice uniforms are the reversible red and blue ones the varsity used last year. The warm-up suits were made for them by an athletic-wear company, but the players had to pay for them.
The JV players, however, are appreciative of the budget that they do have in the Athletic Department, even though it is a small ope.
Players receive about $6 after a game for meals and also receive free basketball shoes.
"We still get the shoes," said Greg Biusus, a 5-11 guard. "They didn't get the shoes."
Bears overshadowed by the varsity team also means the JV players must contend with a lack of publicity and low attendance, unless their game is before a varsity game in Allen Field House.
But two JV team players did get a chance to play in the big leagues. On Friday, with a rapidly diminishing bench because of injuries, Brown asked Robic to recommend two JV players who had done well this season to suit up and practice with the varsity.
Those two players were senior forwards Brad Wahl, a second-year
transfer from Emporia State, and Marvin Mattox, a strong safety on the football team.
"Coach Robic called me and kink of asked me how I felt about varsity." Wahl said. "I didn't catch on to what he was saying at first. Then I didn't let him finish. I hung up and just ran down to practice."
Jonathan
The JV team also lets varsity players who did not get much game time have a chance to play in game situations. Forwards Mike Masucci and Mike Maddox and guard Clint Normore have all suited up at times for the JV team.
Like the varsity players, members of the JV team follow all NCAA requirements, including those pertaining to academics. The JV players are not on scholarship. In fact, many have outside jobs or live in fraternities, and juggle schoolwork, greek activities and basketball at the same time.
"We don't have the help the varsity gets, though," said Brad Moody, a 6-1 sophomore guard. "It takes up your time. Sometimes I'm going nuts, but it's worth it."
Moody, like the others on the team, tried out at the beginning of the season. This year, more than 65 players tried out. But there is a high turnover rate each year. Because there is no scholarship at stake, players tend to devote more time to other activities as the years pass by.
"If a particular group of guys gets into it, they might stay with it and get to play together," said Brad Kampshroeder, a 6-4 forward. "And sometimes we don't know if there is going
to be a team the next year. There isn't a lot of money, and the coaches are varsity assistants. They might not have time. We're also taking up valuable gym time."
The team was put together with players who heard about the program from friends, brothers or from playing pick-up games at Robinson Center. For them, the JV team offers a level of competition higher than the intramural level, but not as time-consuming as the varsity队.
Cooper Millede, a 6-5 sophomore forward, said he had heard about the JV team through a friend's brother, and had made the team last year as well as this year.
"I like being around the Kansas program. I'm basketball-oriented," he said. "We spend about eight to 10 hours a week here, but then again, we're not on scholarship. We're just here to play the game. Seriously, that's what it is."
Brent Walker was playing at Robinson when some of the players on the JV team asked him if he wanted to try out.
"Basically, I just love being out there. I like the guys I play with." Walker, a 6-2 sophomore guard, said. "But I'm trying to get out of school a year early. I'll have to see how my schedule goes next year."
Bill Kennedy, a 6-3 forward, is in his first year on the JV team and was drawn into it by his brother, who had played last year.
"We're just playing because we want to," he said. "I'm doing it to learn more about basketball. We have good coaches, and I'm just learning to improve and play."
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