ANCHORAGE, ALASKA ? The third time definitely was the charm for Kansas at the Great Alaska Shootout.
The No. 10-ranked Jayhawks, who placed second at the event in 1984 and 1988, claimed a resounding 84-70 tournament championship victory over previously undefeated Georgia Tech on Saturday night at Sullivan Arena.
It was the Drew Gooden show for Kansas in the title game.
The 6-foot-9 Californian scored 20 of KU’s first 58 points as the Jayhawks raced to a 58-37 lead five minutes into the second half. Gooden put up 12 points the first half and Eric Chenowith 11 as the Jayhawks ruled on the inside.
Gooden was so impressive he was tabbed the tournament’s Most Valuable Performer. Fellow Jayhawks Eric Chenowith (13 points, eight boards), Luke Axtell (11 points) and Jeff Boschee (eight points while foul plagued) made the 10-person all-tournament team.
In a major snub, KU’s Kenny Gregory was kept off the all-tourney team despite scoring 15 in the title game to go with 35 points combined in KU’s wins over Xavier and Georgia.
“We feel great about winning the championship and playing three games against top competition,” KU coach Roy Williams said. “Drew Gooden was really, really big on the backboards tonight. He made some silly errors that age will correct.
“Jeff Boschee made some big baskets the second half when Georgia cut it to 12 or so. Eric played better tonight. Luke hit some big shots. Kenny ” he understands. Last year he was MVP at the Hall of Fame Classic and it didn’t make him any better or worse player the rest of the year. We know he played his tail off for us here.”
Gooden and Chenowith outscored Georgia Tech twin towers Jason Collier and Alvin Jones, 23-10, in helping Kansas to a 43-33 halftime advantage.
Gooden scored eight straight points in a huge 15-3 spurt early in the second half that opened the big lead.
“I don’t care about individual awards. The team won this tournament,” Gooden said. “It was important we get on the backboards tonight and I think we did that.” KU outrebounded Tech, 42-34.
Gooden entered in a five-man mass substitution just a couple of minutes into the second half as Williams pulled his starters after the group missed five of six shots.
Up by as many as 22, Kansas did survive a scoring onslaught by Tony Akins (17 points) that cut KU’s 23-point lead to 71-59 at 7:38. Eight points by the foul-plagued Boschee helped up the lead back to 16 and keep the Yellow Jackets at bay.
The Jayhawks actually by 14 — 43-29 — with :26 left in the half, following a 12-3 surge. Axtell scored four points, while Gooden, Chenowith, Gregory and Marlon London had two apiece in the run.
However, the Yellow Jackets closed the half on a 4-0 run, taking some big-time momentum into halftime.
First guard Akins hit two free throws at :05. Then, Tech stole the inbounds pass. Akins missed a short shot that was rammed through the hoop by Jason Floyd at the buzzer.
KU did its first-half damage with starting guard Boschee playing just seven minutes because of foul problems. He was tooted for three first-half fouls. Kirk Hinrich had four assists in 11 minutes the first 20 minutes. Also, Collison and Chenowith’s minutes were reduced early after both were poked in the eye.
Chenowith — he entered a 39.1 percent shooter — canned 4 of 7 first-half shots while Gooden hit 5 of 8 shots and had five boards.
Trailing 5-2, the Jayhawks went on an 11-0 run to lead 13-5 at 14:20. Chenowith and Gooden had five and four points respectively, seemingly fired up playing against the tall Georgia Tech duo of Collier (7-0) and Jones (6-11).
