KU misfires on flashy play

By J-W Staff Reports     Nov 2, 2000

Earl Richardson/Journal-World Photo
KU's Luke Axtell nails a three-point shot despite pressure from Drew Barry, right, and Nate Holmstadt of the California All-Stars.

Kansas senior Luke Axtell drew some pine-time in the second half after making an unsuccessful behind-the-back pass to teammate Kenny Gregory.

“If it would have been successful, I’d have clapped like anybody else,” said KU coach Roy Williams, livid after the behind-the-back offering resulted in a turnover in KU’s 98-80 win over the California All-Stars.

“Mickey Mantle was my favorite baseball player of all-time, but I loved the way Hank Aaron made the hard plays look easy. That’s the way I like basketball played. Make the hard plays look easy, not the easy plays look hard,” Williams said.

Axtell he had a big game with 13 points and three boards in 20 minutes was not available for comment after the game. Gregory, who had 14 points, including a couple spectacular dunks, says he wishes he could have made the catch on the bullet pass.

“I think I was a little too close to him,” Gregory said. “I was kind of open. It hit me in the face.

Earl Richardson/Journal-World Photo
KU coach roy williams imparts some words of wisdom to the Jayhawk bench. From left are Mario Kinsey, Williams, Jeff Boschee, Jeff Carey and Bryant Nash.

“I knew when it didn’t work it would be Luke’s time to come out of the game,” he added with a grin.

Williams warns the Jayhawks they’d better convert the spectacular play or be prepared to sit the bench for a while.

“I tell them that’s fantastic. If you do that and it’s successful, I’m going to clap like everyone else,” Williams said. “If you screw it up, you’ll come sit down. You’ve got to be man enough if you are going to try it to face the piper. He screwed it up so he sat down.”

Not for long, however. After a few minutes, all was forgiven and Axtell was re-inserted in the game.

KU walk-on guard Brett Ballard did not dress for the game because of a case of mono. He could miss up to two weeks.

Drew Gooden’s 14 rebounds would have qualified for a career high if stats counted. Gooden had 13 boards against Missouri on March 5.

Gooden’s 12 first-half rebounds would be the fourth-most in a single half in the Roy Williams era if stats counted.

“It was an emphasis to block out and grab as many rebounds as possible,” Gooden said. “As an all-star team they may not have boxed out as well as they could have.”

Aaron Miles, a 6-0 high school senior point guard from Portland, Ore., told recruiting analyst Mike Sullivan Wednesday night he’s not close to making a decision between KU and Arizona.

“I am a little confused,” Miles told Sullivan of insidersreport.com. “So I am not ready to announce a decision. I am not leaning to any school. I just have to take some more time to decide.”

Leavenworth High senior Wayne Simien, who has verbally committed to KU, and Jeff Hawkins, a 5-11 point guard from KC Sumner considering KU and others, attended and sat a couple rows behind KU’s bench.

Frosh Bryant Nash had two points and three turnovers against one assist in eight minutes. He swished two free throws. Frosh Mario Kinsey hit a three-pointer and had two assists against one turnover in 10 minutes.

California All-Star coach Phil Bryant actually had been acquainted with two Jayhawks prior to the game.

“I’ve known Eric (Chenowith) since his high school days in L.A. and Drew Gooden worked for me the year before at a summer camp,” Bryant said. “But Chenowith looks a lot better. I think he looks stronger and he looked like he was able to do things in the post area that I didn’t see him do. He got better position, battled for position.”


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