Sunday, December 9, 2007

Keegan

Keegan: Kansas coming together

By Tom Keegan

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2007-08 Dec. 8 KU-DePaul Basketball

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In many ways, the lob pass that results in a loud dunk embodies what this Kansas University basketball team is all about. It at once is fresh material for the highlight videos and a sound, high-percentage play.

Those qualities capture how Kansas plays the game. Defensively, Kansas pressures the ball, but not in a way that leaves the Jayhawks vulnerable. A dangerous 3-point shooting team, KU lately has been smart enough to try to score from close range before bombing away. That approach is working.

Most of the players on the team are exciting yet fundamentally sound players. They help each other defensively with great efficiency and seem to a man to be just as happy being on the passing end of a bucket as the receiving end.

Three second-half lob plays shook the rim, jacked the crowd and deflated DePaul in Saturday afternoon's 84-66 KU victory that felt more like a 40-point blowout.

Mario Chalmers delivered lobs to Sasha Kaun, who got way up there, and to Darnell Jackson, who pulled the slightly off-target pass out of the sky with one hand, slammed it through and was given a chance to make it a three-point play at the free-throw line. Russell Robinson set up Darrell Arthur for his chin-at-the-rim flush.

Bill Self, the Jayhawks' old-school coach who grows livid at the sight of highlights for the sake of highlights, appreciates the value of the alley-oop.

"People who are old fundamental people will disagree, but I like plays that can change games," Self said. "There are certain plays that can change the momentum of the game. I don't like spectacular, fancy, whatever, but the lob pass is a simpler pass for us to complete and execute than it is just throwing the ball to the post and making a shot because we've got guys you can throw it to a lot of different places and they can go get it. I don't tell our guys to throw the lob, but I certainly don't tell them not to."

The players love lob plays more than the coach, and spectators love them more than the players.

"It makes the game fun," senior guard Russell Robinson said. "Coach likes it himself. It's fun to come back to the bench and see him sitting back laughing and happy."

The Jayhawks did that a lot for their coach Saturday, playing their best all-around game of the season.

Mario Chalmers (12 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and seven steals) didn't do a little of everything, he did a lot of everything. Russell Robinson not only grabbed an offensive rebound right after it fell off the rim and slammed it home with two hands, he blocked a shot inside and locked down DePaul's leading scorer, Draelon Burns.

Jackson - what a player this guy has become in this, his senior season - gave another strong performance, and Kaun (15 points in 15 minutes) lent one of his best career efforts off the bench.

Inside and out, this group is coming together well. Not many teams in the college game blend this much talent with this much experience. Things that used to have to be harped on, stunting the team's growth, now come naturally, which has accelerated the learning curve.

If the health of injured players continues to improve, this could be a long season, not as in painfully long, rather as in a season that could stretch all the way to April.

Comments

lrahardja (anonymous) says...

This team is well balance now. The team's ability to play inside and outside efficiently will make it very difficult for other teams to defense us.

December 9, 2007 at 3:06 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

mcoan (anonymous) says...

The secret weapons of the season (other than Rush goin'
all NBA up in there) are Jackson and Chalmers. More than any other players, those two hold the keys to the Final Four. When they play well, we win.

December 9, 2007 at 6:03 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

westkshawk (anonymous) says...

I agree that Jackson and Chalmers can be difference makers, I just don't know how "secret" they are. Way to go guys. rock chalk.

December 9, 2007 at 6:55 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

DrJHawk (anonymous) says...

I was impressed with the way Arthur came back in the second half, after being benched for much of the first, with some aggressive moves in the paint. His fade away jumpers were becoming too commonplace. He wasn't initiating contact with a strong move to the basket before today. And Kaun has been playing soft until today. He turned it around as well. This was the missing ingredient: strong inside play!

December 9, 2007 at 10 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jman18562 (anonymous) says...

I had to work and missed the game... Did Keegan say Kaun came off the bench? If so my prayers have been answered. Maybe this will motivate him to finally play up to his potential.

December 9, 2007 at 10:31 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

guithawk (anonymous) says...

Sasha has come off the bench now for quite a few games now. Maybe you've missed more than this one game? Don't be a hater.

December 9, 2007 at 10:44 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jross1972 (Johann Ross) says...

To Keegan and with all respect to my fellow Hawks, consider this.

KState once beat Kansas a couple of years ago. I had to go to work hearing how KState had started a "streak". We've won "...one in a row", they said.

Now all of you can see the fallacy of this. Can't you?

So why do we declare Kansas is "coming together" after one good game? Why dont we instead credit Kansas for a good game but reserve judgement as to whether or not we are "coming together" until we can put a few of these back-to-back?

Does this make sense or am I a voice crying in the wilderness?

Areas of concern the remain despite the performance Saturday:

1. get healthy/stay healthy
2. more production from Arthur
3. Sasha and Aldrich to contribute like the last two games
4. production in the half court game
5. rebounding, rebounding, rebounding.

Before I personally declare we are coming together, I need to see all of these over a several-game stretch.

December 9, 2007 at 11:50 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

ralsterKUMed95 (anonymous) says...

Nice to see attitude and work-ethic and desire pay off for Darnell, and for Sasha in this game. Attributes I have always appreciated since the days of watching MJ persevere and excel. These kids put in the time and work, and we can all hopefully reap the reward...

December 9, 2007 at 12:23 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

jrossonenineseventwo,

i been missin' u. Good to see you throwin' down some twice baked takes. Thought this might be one long, lonely season for this ol' man, if u pulled a no show.

U R abso!@#$%%^lutely right about the problem areas and Keegan jumping the gun. Depaul is not Grade A Prime Select beef, though they're not border burger just off the Ixtapa Express either.

And, yo, Lebowski,

If Sasha keeps playing like a player instead of the anti-project, then I'm buyin' a round of White Russians for you and the Dude and jrossonenineseventwo and who ever else is dude enough to pound'em in a bath robe at the Jayhawk lanes with me.

Is basketball season great or WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!

December 9, 2007 at 7:50 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

ralsterKUMed95 (anonymous) says...

Now there's some spirit, through and through!

December 9, 2007 at 8:15 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jross1972 (Johann Ross) says...

Its worth seeing again!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nAIZ5cYkYv4

Hey Id hang out in Lawrence with fellow Hawks. Bowling, brewskies, and basketball? Sounds like heaven to ME!

December 9, 2007 at 10:01 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Lebowski (anonymous) says...

There's going to have to be a day we all do that. I just don't know if I'll show up in a bath robe, though! :D

Yeah, the Jayhawks rest somewhere in between Keegan's take on them and Mayer's view. The top of the fence is always so lonely... the team is either great or terrible and every player is a success or a failure.

December 10, 2007 at 1:59 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jross1972 (Johann Ross) says...

toga...toga...toga...!

December 10, 2007 at 5:54 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jross1972 (Johann Ross) says...

3 posts ago I posted the youtube video of Darnell Jacksons dunk. Scroll up to find it, open it, and focus on Hubert Davis' reaction. Think he was impressed?

December 10, 2007 at 6:09 p.m. ( | suggest removal )