University Daily Kansan / Thursday, November 10, 1988
Sports
9.
Coach hopes for tall feats from the shortest position
By Arvin Donley
Kansan sportswriter
Depth and versatility at the guard positions are strengths that Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams is counting on to make up for the team's lack of height.
"We're going to have to use our quickness both on offense and defense to make up for our lack of height." Williams said.
Williams said they would play mainly at small forward. The three had spent most of their college careers at off-guard.
Despite their change of position, no one is complaining.
The Jayhawks have seven players 6-foot-5 and shorter, but three of them — senior Milt Newton and junior Freeman West and Jeff Gueldner — will play forward this season.
"With me being the fourth tallest player on the team, I'll probably be playing a lot at the small forward and maybe even power forward." West said. "I don't have any regrets. I just means I will have to learn a new skill. I'm not going to do that. If it's going to help us to win, I'll do anything."
do Antoine against the Spirit Express Monday night. West proved that he could be a force inside, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds in 16 minutes.
Newton, who was the second leading rebounder on last year's team, averaging five a game, said he would have to rebound more this season.
"Last year when I didn't get seven or eight rebounds a game I was upset." Newton said. "Now this year,
91
With me being the fourth tallest player on the team, I'll probably be playing a lot at the small forward and maybe even power forward. I don't have any regrets. It just means I'll have to learn a lot of new things, and I'm willing to do that. If it's going to help us to win, I'll do anything.'
Freeman West Kansas basketball player
I'll have to try to go out and get eight or nine if it can be done. So every time the ball goes up, I'll be looking to crush the boards."
At guard, the Jayhawks have seniors Lincoln Minor and Scooter Barry, junior Kevin Pritchard and freshman Sean Tunstall.
"I think Lincoln will basically be concentrating more on the two guard," Williams said. "Sean Tunstall is working more on the point. Kevin and Scooter are playing a little bit of both."
Williams said he had not decided who will start when the Jayhawks open the season Nov. 25 at the Great Alaskan Shootout in Anchorage, Alaska. Kansas will play the host school, Alaska-Anchorage.
Barry, Pritchard and Tunstall saw action at point guard in the Jayhawks 91-72 victory against the Express. None of them were recruited as point
guards out of high school
Last season, Pritchard took over at point guard midway through the season and played a major role in the Jayhawks' drive toward the national title. If given a choice, Pritchard said he would prefer off-guard.
"I still believe (off-guard)'s my natural position," the 6-3 Pritchard said. "Right now, I'm learning both the number one and two positions. I think I'll probably be playing both. I tried point guard (last year) and played in the final 16 games. For me, I've always responded in a positive way when more responsibility has been put on me."
Minor said he would be content at point guard or off-guard.
"we have a lot of guys who can either play point guard or the off-guard, and I'm just going to fill the role that the team needs the most and try to be a leader on the court."
try to be a leader in the game.
Newton said Minor could play a big role on this year's squad as a defender.
"To be honest, I think Lincoln Minor is the quickest player on our team." Newton said. "When he wants, he's one of the better defenders in our conference. He'll be a big part of the team."
Tunstall played 10 minutes against the Express before fouling out without scoring.
winnams said it would take time for Tunstall to learn the point guard position.
"I'm asking him to do some new things," Williams said. "I'm asking him to play point guard, and he never played point guard in high school."
KU to play in tennis regionals
By Ken Winford
The Kansas women's tennis team will join 11 other teams in the main draw of the Rolex Regional Qualifying Tournament tomorrow at the Wood Valley Raquet Club in Topeka.
The tournament, one of eight regional events being played, is a qualifier for the ITCA/Rolex National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships, to be Feb. 9-12 in Minneapolis, Minn.
Kansan sportswriter
Minnesota. Other teams playing at the central regional include defending Big Eight Conference champion Oklahoma State, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Wichita State, Creighton, Nebraska, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Utah and Brigham Young.
The top two finishers in each single event and the winners of each
doubles tournament, along with at large selections, will compete in the national tournament.
Kansas coach Eric Hayes said his team would probably run into some of the toughest competition it has faced this year.
"The very best players in the region are here." Hayes said. "There are a few players here that are among the best in the country. The level of competition here is very high."
Hayes said that for the Jayhawks who have hopes of gaining national exposure, the regional tournament could be a stepping stone to a national ranking.
"This is a very important tournament for us because we want to compete nationally," he said. "But to break in on the national scene."
have to win on the regional level first."
in it. The national indoor tournament will consist of singles draws of 32
Although a few of the Kansas players were suffering from minor injuries, Hayes said the whole team would compete.
"This is such a big tournament it's important for everyone to play." Hayes said. "We are going to run into some tough competition, but our players just have to concentrate on what we've worked on and go out and do it."
payers and doubles draws of 16 teams.
The Rolex regional tournaments involve more than 2,000 players from more than 500 colleges and are the largest event in collegiate tennis.
Kansas assistant trainer Mark Cairns, left, ices Kansas junior forward Freeman West's knee in the Jayhawks training room. West strained his right knee during basketball practice yesterday and is expected to be out for 10 days.
Men's team signs first recruit
Point guard Jordan signs letter-of-intent; other players hesitant
By Mike Considine Special to the Kansan
Kansas signed its first 1988-89 men basketball recruit yesterday, but the possibility that the NCAA could open its case could once again jeopardize the school's recruiting efforts.
Adonis Jordan, a 6-foot point guard from Reseda, Calif., signed a national letter-of-intent to attend Kansas yesterday. His coach at Reseda Cleveland High School. Bobby Braswell, said Jordan had signed the letter and mailed it.
signed. Reached at his home last night. Braswell said neither he nor Jordan had heard about the allegations made by former Kansas player Mike Marshall.
In an article which will appear in the Nov. 14 issue of Sports Illustrated, Marshall said he had made loans to Jayhawk players and that former coach Larry Brown knew about the violations which put Kansas on probation, The Associated Press reported yesterday.
"it's difficult for me to comment on it until I hear the charges." Braswell said. "Really, the first thing I want to do is talk to (Kansas coach Roy) Williams. But, of course, if the investigation is reopened, it would be a concern."
Harold Miner, a player who is considering Kansas, might have second thoughts because of the new allegations, his coach said last night. However, Inglewood (Calif.) High School coach Vincent Combs said Miner was not aware of the new charges.
have been Combs said Miner was bothered by the three-year probation Kansas is serving.
charges,
"I'll have to see what the effect is."
Combs said, "but it will probably have some effect on him."
said, "I'm sure the first investigation was very, very upsetting to him," Combs said. "He doesn't hold that against Coach Williams. He still believes in him very strongly. There's a definite bond there."
"Harold said, 'Well, you know people will look at the program as being tainted,' that's the only thing he's ever said that would strike someone as a negative thing."
Miner, a 6-5 $ _{1/2} $ , 190-pound swingman is considering Kansas, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and UCLA. Combs said he thought Miner would make his college choice within the next two days.
days.
Bob Gibbons of All-Star Sports
Publications ranks Miner and Jordan as the 33rd and 42nd best high school
players in the country, respectively.
"Adonis is definitely one of the nation's top point guards," Gibbons said. "He's a true point guard in that he's an excellent floor-leader and he moves the ball well. He's the type of recruit that Roy would like to have directing his offense."
Jordan, who averaged 17 points and 14 assists a game as a junior, said yesterday afternoon that he planned to call Miner last night to talk about his decision.
"I spoke to him last week, and he said was either Kansas or UCLA." Jordan said. "Because of the probation, he still has some doubts about Kansas."
Miner and Jordan were teammates on Team Reebok, a California high school all-star team, this summer.
One of Jordan's high school teammates, Lucious Harris, might get one of Kansas' two remaining scholarships if Miner doesn't sign.
Harris, a 6-5 swingman, averaged 17 points and 13 rebounds per game last year.
"It looks like either (Harris) or Harold." Jordan said. "Wheevers says they want to come first. I would like to play with both of them. They're good friends."
Freshman adapting to college play
By Jeff Euston
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas middle guard Matt Nolen isn't used to playing for an underdog almost every game.
Nolen, Kansas City, Kan. freshman, used to play at Rockhurst High School, which won the 5A Missouri state football title last season. He's had to adjust this season to a Jayhawk team that has lost eight of its first nine games.
"It a little bit demoralizing, but I guess if you're pretty tough, you can overcome it," he said. "You have to look at it positively. You don't look at it like we've lost eight games, but like we've won one game."
Nolen, who is only 5-foot-6 and 225 pounds, began the season fifth on the depth chart at middle guard. He got an opportunity to play when middle guards Darrin Samuels and Mike Dinkel left the team early i the season. Now he has started the last two games.
"At the beginning during two a-days, his role was going to be a scout team for us and be redshirts and get into the off-season training program to get him stronger and quicker." Eumont said. "He was happy with that — the chance to earn a job in next spring."
two games Originally, the Jayhawks planned to redshirt Nolen, said defensive line coach Vic Eumont.
"They were telling me they (Nebraska) had an All-American center," Nolen said. "I was nervous. My hands were all sweaty. McCabe got hurt, and I went up and stood next to coach (Mason) and he turned around and yelled my name and I was standing right there. He said, 'You've got to get in there on defense,' and I said, 'Okay, coach, I ready.'" Nolen made
Nolen's first chance to play came when starter Scott McCabe was injured against Nebraska.
On his first two plays, Nolen made two tackles, despite being three inches shorter and 25 pounds lighter than junior Jake Young, the Cornhuskers' center.
In his second collegiate start last week against Kansas State, Nolen made eight tackles and batted down
a pass.
1. pass.
Nolen said he did not view his size as a detriment.
"I knew I was small and what I did was just submarined," he said. "I'd just take out the guy's knees in front of me and just try to crawl under him. Now I've started to just play regular defense."
"I's an advantage because most of the time I can get underneath the centers since I'm a little bit smaller," he said. "Most the people I play against now average about 275. I only weigh about 252 or 230. They're a lot stronger than me. They bench press about 450 or 470. I bench press 300. So I have to concentrate on technique and playing hard."
Being undersized can be both an advantage and a disadvantage.
technique and program His time at Rockhurst prepared Nolen well for playing in the Big Eight Conference, Eumont said.
"He's a heady player and he has excellent technique," he said. "He comes from Rockhurst, and Rockhurst has always been known for doing a great job of coaching. You can see from his techniques that he's been well drilled and well schooled in the game of football."
"I think he's done a really fine job." Mason said. "He's one of those guys who has stuck in there from the day go. When you can stick in there and avoid injuries, you're getting got touches to get into, but to get into it was worried that he could hold his own, but he did hold his own." He didn't have a choice."
Kansas coach Glen Mason has been impressed with Nolan's play.
Nolen almost made the choice to attend Missouri this fall, but decided to come to Kansas because of the chance to play.
"I talked to the Kansas recruiter and they didn't recruit as many linemen, so I thought I'd have a better opportunity to play.
"Until about two weeks before two-a-days, I was going to Missouri," he said. "I wanted to get a scholarship.
"I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I'd play football at KU."
Kansas freshman walk-on nose guard Matt Nolen, who was on the sixth team early in the season, has moved to the starting team for the past two games.
Twins' Viola gets Cy Young Award KC's Gubicza finishes third in voting
NEW YORK — Frank Viola, the Minnesota Twins left-hander who led the major leagues in victories in compiling a 24.7 record, was named winner of the 1988 American League Cy Young Award yesterday.
Viola received 27 of a possible 28 first-place votes and 138 of a possible 140 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Dennis Eckersley, Athletics got her first first-place vote and was second with 52 points.
Mark Gubicae of the Kansas City Royals was third with 26 points, Dave Stewart of Oakland had 16, Bruce Hurst of the Boston Red Sox had 12 and teammate Roger Clemens, Cy Young winner in 1986 and 1987, had eight.
The Associated Press
"I didn't know what to expect," Viola said from his Orlando, Fla. home. "I didn't want to worry about it. You don't want to get your hopes too high so that they get shot down."
Viola, the first Twins player to win since Jim Perry in 1970, said there was no reason to be upset that he wasn't a unanimous pick.
"Twenty-seven out of 28, that's not bad, is it?" he said.
Viola, most valuable player of the 1987 World Series, had a 2.64 earned-run average this season and 193 strikeouts, ranking third in the AL in each department.
"It it took me five-plus years to find this kind of consistency. This year is just a carryover from last year." Viola said just before the season ended. "It's been a dream. Any pitcher who tells you he doesn't dream of winning 20 games or starting the All-Star Game or winning the Cy Young is a flat-out liar. I know that after the season ends, it will have been a pretty good year to look back on."
bac bac bac
Viola, 15-2 at the break, was the winning pitcher for the American League in the All-Star Game. His
"He doesn't have an 'S' on his shirt," Kelly said. "A lot of people around here think he's Superman and is strong as an ox every three or four games. There's just no way."
Vioa won 19 consecutive games in the Metrodome over 25 starts between 1974 and 1983, two more home wins during the 1987 World Series.
"Actually, the goal of winning 100 was more important to me." Voila said. "It means you go out there every fourth day, be consistent and stay healthy. I just hope the next 100 are a little easier than the first 100."
"I'd be so close to home and I'd have a chance to make so much money in commercials," he said. "I was MVP of the Word Series in Minnesota last year, and except for Disney World, I haven't endorsed anything."
Although he has settled into Minneapolis life, Viola is a native New Yorker and at one time wanted to play in his hometown.
20th victory of the season came on Aug. 30 against Texas. It also was the 100th victory of his career.
Now he's not so sure he wants to go home.
During the Twins Manager Tom Kelly said Viola's performance created expectations that were impossible to fulfill
"The more I've learned about baseball organizations, the more Ive realized that it would be hard to go home again." Viola said. "We may not get the big commercial money here in Minnesota, but we do get some privacy and some piece of mind."
he's so well liked in *Minneapolis* that when a poll was held asking whom the Vikings should start at quarterback, Vivai got five votes.
"He has a better arm than both of them," a respondent said, referring to Vikings quarterbacks Tommy Kramer and Wade Wilson. "And he can't lose in the Dome."