After being frozen out in Alaska, Kenny Gregory finally broke the ice in the Big Apple.
Gregory, Kansas University’s senior forward, was named most outstanding performer in the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic late Friday night.
Last November, after helping the Jayhawks win the Great Alaska Shootout, Gregory didn’t even make the all-tournament team an omission that puzzled KU coach Roy Williams after Gregory scored 50 points and grabbed 20 boards in the Jayhawks’ victories over Georgia, Xavier and Georgia Tech in Anchorage.
Gregory wasn’t overlooked on Friday night, although he downplayed the importance of the personal recognition.
“We lost 10 games last year so the most important thing this season is winning games,” Gregory said. “Being MVP is just icing on the cake.”
Gregory earned the prize by averaging 20.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in wins over UCLA (99-98) and St. John’s (82-74).
Teammate and roommate Drew Gooden, who curiously was the Great Alaska Shootout MVP last season, joined Gregory on the All-CVC team. Gooden averaged 20.0 points and 9.8 rebounds in the two games.
In other words, the numbers accumulated by Gooden and Gregory in the two games in Madison Square Garden were nearly identical. But Gregory earned the nod.
Maybe it was because the 6-foot-5 senior from Columbus, Ohio, whose career free throw percentage is under .500, made three of four charities against the Red Storm after missing all three of his attempts the night before.
“I missed three last night,” Gregory said after Friday’s game, “but two were close so I felt good. I was three for four tonight. I wish I was four for four, but I wasn’t.”
Incidentally, Gooden was named MVP of the 1999 Great Alaska Shootout after scoring 40 points and grabbing 30 rebounds. Compare those numbers to Gregory’s 50 points and 20 boards in that meet.
Whatever, Kansas’ triumph over St. John’s had to count more than the Jayhawks’ 84-70 victory over Georgia Tech in Anchorage a year ago because, even though it will be termed a neutral court win, it really wasn’t.
“Basically, it was a road game,” Gregory said. “And the atmosphere seemed like March Madness.”
While many Kansas University fans were in the Garden, St. John’s partisans made up more than the majority of the announced crowd of 19,528, and it was their noise and enthusiasm that spurred the Red Storm’s late but unsuccessful comeback.
“Our team learned a lot about itself,” KU coach Williams said.
Kansas fans learned something, too. They learned that the two starters from among the up-front trio of Eric Chenowith, Nick Collison and Gooden will be determined on defensive grades of the previous game.
Chenowith started both CVC games, but Gooden answered the bell in Thursday’s opener and Collison earned the call on Friday.
Gooden sure didn’t seem fazed by the “demotion.” He scored a game-high 22 points and snatched nine boards while playing 30 minutes off the bench.
“It was no motivation at all,” Gooden said of the sit-down. “Coach will do what’s best for the team, and that’s what I’m going to do. He said before the season he’d pick the starters on defensive grades, so I just had to be a man and come off the bench.”
By sweeping in the Big Apple, Kansas stretched its November win streak to 31 games. The Jayhawks haven’t lost in November since Nov. 23, 1990, at Arizona State. Williams’ record in November is 38-2.
That gilt-edged record should grow even more glossy with five more games all at home against non-majors on the schedule before December arrives. The first is next Friday against North Dakota.
