Freshmen do the darndest things, especially when making their college basketball debuts in front of 15,500 fans.
“I think Aaron was really nervous,” Kansas coach Roy Williams said of Aaron Miles, a 6-foot-1 freshman point guard from Portland, Ore.
“He didn’t even know how to go run out when they introduce the starting lineup. At Jefferson High they’d run and shake hands with the other team.”
That’s exactly what Miles tried to do when public address man Howard Hill announced Miles’ name prior to Wednesday’s 98-77 victory over the EA Sports All-Stars at Allen Fieldhouse.
Miles shot through the KU Crimson Girls and made his way over to one of the Stars for an attempted handshake.
“I said, ‘You don’t do that around here.’ In the Big 12 one of those guys may run over there and Ricardo may chop him,” Williams added, needling fiery Colorado coach Ricardo Patton.
Yes, jitters were a factor for the KU newcomers in their Jayhawk debuts.
“I think Keith was nervous,” Williams said of Keith Langford, a 6-4 freshman guard from Crowley, Texas. “We pass the ball down the court and he had no clue where he is. He catches it, realizes nobody is there and shoots it. It was a bad shot. We don’t shoot that shot. He casually goes after it and somebody steals it.
“I think Michael Lee and Wayne (Simien) were more into the game immediately, as soon as they went into the game,” Williams added of Lee, a 6-3 high school teammate of Miles and Simien, 6-9 from Leavenworth.
“Yet the first five plays we run when Wayne is in, he has no clue what we’re doing.
“On three of ’em we’re trying to get the ball into him and he’s out there buying popcorn. He may have had 100 (points) if he’d done what he was supposed to do. It’s the game slippage we talk about.”
The freshmen made a lot of mental mistakes, but still put up respectable numbers in their openers.
Simien sank eight of 12 shots and nine of nine free throws, good for 25 points with eight rebounds in just 19 minutes.
Miles hit four of nine shots, including two of three threes, good for 10 points with five assists and two turnovers in 21 minutes.
Langford hit three of four shots, including a hustle play putting in his own miss, good for six points with four assists and one turnover in 16 minutes.
And Lee hit two of four shots, including a 14-foot jumper, good for four points and one steal in seven minutes.
“I am satisfied in the fact I know we were trying hard,” Williams said. “We were not very crisp. We didn’t execute the set plays. We were 0-for-12 as far as running the plays the way we were supposed to in the first half, except for one play when Kirk (Hinrich) came down and shot it quickly.”
The Jayhawk veterans can understand why the rookies might botch some plays early on.
“Everybody goes through a phase as freshmen … it takes a while to remember plays,” KU senior Jeff Carey said. “You get out there and lose track of what you are supposed to be doing. In all the excitement, you forget how to run the plays.”
Funny thing is by now, fifth-year senior Carey knows pretty much all the plays.
“For the most part I know what everybody is supposed to be doing,” Carey said. “I try to correct it when I can. Sometimes you’ve got to give up and go freelance.
“One time I tried to do that with Wayne,” he added of grabbing Simien and informing him where to go on the court on one set play. “It didn’t work. That’s what these games are for. We’re going to learn and get better each time out.”
Next up for the Jayhawks is Tuesday’s exhibition against Fort Hays State. Tip is 7:05 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse. A limited number of tickets are available at 1-800-34-HAWKS.
Freshmen do the darndest things, especially when making their college basketball debuts in front of 15,500 fans.
“I think Aaron was really nervous,” Kansas coach Roy Williams said of Aaron Miles, a 6-foot-1 freshman point guard from Portland, Ore.
“He didn’t even know how to go run out when they introduce the starting lineup. At Jefferson High they’d run and shake hands with the other team.”
That’s exactly what Miles tried to do when public address man Howard Hill announced Miles’ name prior to Wednesday’s 98-77 victory over the EA Sports All-Stars at Allen Fieldhouse.
Miles shot through the KU Crimson Girls and made his way over to one of the Stars for an attempted handshake.
“I said, ‘You don’t do that around here.’ In the Big 12 one of those guys may run over there and Ricardo may chop him,” Williams added, needling fiery Colorado coach Ricardo Patton.
Yes, jitters were a factor for the KU newcomers in their Jayhawk debuts.
“I think Keith was nervous,” Williams said of Keith Langford, a 6-4 freshman guard from Crowley, Texas. “We pass the ball down the court and he had no clue where he is. He catches it, realizes nobody is there and shoots it. It was a bad shot. We don’t shoot that shot. He casually goes after it and somebody steals it.
“I think Michael Lee and Wayne (Simien) were more into the game immediately, as soon as they went into the game,” Williams added of Lee, a 6-3 high school teammate of Miles and Simien, 6-9 from Leavenworth.
“Yet the first five plays we run when Wayne is in, he has no clue what we’re doing.
“On three of ’em we’re trying to get the ball into him and he’s out there buying popcorn. He may have had 100 (points) if he’d done what he was supposed to do. It’s the game slippage we talk about.”
The freshmen made a lot of mental mistakes, but still put up respectable numbers in their openers.
Simien sank eight of 12 shots and nine of nine free throws, good for 25 points with eight rebounds in just 19 minutes.
Miles hit four of nine shots, including two of three threes, good for 10 points with five assists and two turnovers in 21 minutes.
Langford hit three of four shots, including a hustle play putting in his own miss, good for six points with four assists and one turnover in 16 minutes.
And Lee hit two of four shots, including a 14-foot jumper, good for four points and one steal in seven minutes.
“I am satisfied in the fact I know we were trying hard,” Williams said. “We were not very crisp. We didn’t execute the set plays. We were 0-for-12 as far as running the plays the way we were supposed to in the first half, except for one play when Kirk (Hinrich) came down and shot it quickly.”
The Jayhawk veterans can understand why the rookies might botch some plays early on.
“Everybody goes through a phase as freshmen … it takes a while to remember plays,” KU senior Jeff Carey said. “You get out there and lose track of what you are supposed to be doing. In all the excitement, you forget how to run the plays.”
Funny thing is by now, fifth-year senior Carey knows pretty much all the plays.
“For the most part I know what everybody is supposed to be doing,” Carey said. “I try to correct it when I can. Sometimes you’ve got to give up and go freelance.
“One time I tried to do that with Wayne,” he added of grabbing Simien and informing him where to go on the court on one set play. “It didn’t work. That’s what these games are for. We’re going to learn and get better each time out.”
Next up for the Jayhawks is Tuesday’s exhibition against Fort Hays State. Tip is 7:05 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse. A limited number of tickets are available at 1-800-34-HAWKS.
Freshmen do the darndest things, especially when making their college basketball debuts in front of 15,500 fans.
“I think Aaron was really nervous,” Kansas coach Roy Williams said of Aaron Miles, a 6-foot-1 freshman point guard from Portland, Ore.
“He didn’t even know how to go run out when they introduce the starting lineup. At Jefferson High they’d run and shake hands with the other team.”
That’s exactly what Miles tried to do when public address man Howard Hill announced Miles’ name prior to Wednesday’s 98-77 victory over the EA Sports All-Stars at Allen Fieldhouse.
Miles shot through the KU Crimson Girls and made his way over to one of the Stars for an attempted handshake.
“I said, ‘You don’t do that around here.’ In the Big 12 one of those guys may run over there and Ricardo may chop him,” Williams added, needling fiery Colorado coach Ricardo Patton.
Yes, jitters were a factor for the KU newcomers in their Jayhawk debuts.
“I think Keith was nervous,” Williams said of Keith Langford, a 6-4 freshman guard from Crowley, Texas. “We pass the ball down the court and he had no clue where he is. He catches it, realizes nobody is there and shoots it. It was a bad shot. We don’t shoot that shot. He casually goes after it and somebody steals it.
“I think Michael Lee and Wayne (Simien) were more into the game immediately, as soon as they went into the game,” Williams added of Lee, a 6-3 high school teammate of Miles and Simien, 6-9 from Leavenworth.
“Yet the first five plays we run when Wayne is in, he has no clue what we’re doing.
“On three of ’em we’re trying to get the ball into him and he’s out there buying popcorn. He may have had 100 (points) if he’d done what he was supposed to do. It’s the game slippage we talk about.”
The freshmen made a lot of mental mistakes, but still put up respectable numbers in their openers.
Simien sank eight of 12 shots and nine of nine free throws, good for 25 points with eight rebounds in just 19 minutes.
Miles hit four of nine shots, including two of three threes, good for 10 points with five assists and two turnovers in 21 minutes.
Langford hit three of four shots, including a hustle play putting in his own miss, good for six points with four assists and one turnover in 16 minutes.
And Lee hit two of four shots, including a 14-foot jumper, good for four points and one steal in seven minutes.
“I am satisfied in the fact I know we were trying hard,” Williams said. “We were not very crisp. We didn’t execute the set plays. We were 0-for-12 as far as running the plays the way we were supposed to in the first half, except for one play when Kirk (Hinrich) came down and shot it quickly.”
The Jayhawk veterans can understand why the rookies might botch some plays early on.
“Everybody goes through a phase as freshmen … it takes a while to remember plays,” KU senior Jeff Carey said. “You get out there and lose track of what you are supposed to be doing. In all the excitement, you forget how to run the plays.”
Funny thing is by now, fifth-year senior Carey knows pretty much all the plays.
“For the most part I know what everybody is supposed to be doing,” Carey said. “I try to correct it when I can. Sometimes you’ve got to give up and go freelance.
“One time I tried to do that with Wayne,” he added of grabbing Simien and informing him where to go on the court on one set play. “It didn’t work. That’s what these games are for. We’re going to learn and get better each time out.”
Next up for the Jayhawks is Tuesday’s exhibition against Fort Hays State. Tip is 7:05 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse. A limited number of tickets are available at 1-800-34-HAWKS.
Freshmen do the darndest things, especially when making their college basketball debuts in front of 15,500 fans.
“I think Aaron was really nervous,” Kansas coach Roy Williams said of Aaron Miles, a 6-foot-1 freshman point guard from Portland, Ore.
“He didn’t even know how to go run out when they introduce the starting lineup. At Jefferson High they’d run and shake hands with the other team.”
That’s exactly what Miles tried to do when public address man Howard Hill announced Miles’ name prior to Wednesday’s 98-77 victory over the EA Sports All-Stars at Allen Fieldhouse.
Miles shot through the KU Crimson Girls and made his way over to one of the Stars for an attempted handshake.
“I said, ‘You don’t do that around here.’ In the Big 12 one of those guys may run over there and Ricardo may chop him,” Williams added, needling fiery Colorado coach Ricardo Patton.
Yes, jitters were a factor for the KU newcomers in their Jayhawk debuts.
“I think Keith was nervous,” Williams said of Keith Langford, a 6-4 freshman guard from Crowley, Texas. “We pass the ball down the court and he had no clue where he is. He catches it, realizes nobody is there and shoots it. It was a bad shot. We don’t shoot that shot. He casually goes after it and somebody steals it.
“I think Michael Lee and Wayne (Simien) were more into the game immediately, as soon as they went into the game,” Williams added of Lee, a 6-3 high school teammate of Miles and Simien, 6-9 from Leavenworth.
“Yet the first five plays we run when Wayne is in, he has no clue what we’re doing.
“On three of ’em we’re trying to get the ball into him and he’s out there buying popcorn. He may have had 100 (points) if he’d done what he was supposed to do. It’s the game slippage we talk about.”
The freshmen made a lot of mental mistakes, but still put up respectable numbers in their openers.
Simien sank eight of 12 shots and nine of nine free throws, good for 25 points with eight rebounds in just 19 minutes.
Miles hit four of nine shots, including two of three threes, good for 10 points with five assists and two turnovers in 21 minutes.
Langford hit three of four shots, including a hustle play putting in his own miss, good for six points with four assists and one turnover in 16 minutes.
And Lee hit two of four shots, including a 14-foot jumper, good for four points and one steal in seven minutes.
“I am satisfied in the fact I know we were trying hard,” Williams said. “We were not very crisp. We didn’t execute the set plays. We were 0-for-12 as far as running the plays the way we were supposed to in the first half, except for one play when Kirk (Hinrich) came down and shot it quickly.”
The Jayhawk veterans can understand why the rookies might botch some plays early on.
“Everybody goes through a phase as freshmen … it takes a while to remember plays,” KU senior Jeff Carey said. “You get out there and lose track of what you are supposed to be doing. In all the excitement, you forget how to run the plays.”
Funny thing is by now, fifth-year senior Carey knows pretty much all the plays.
“For the most part I know what everybody is supposed to be doing,” Carey said. “I try to correct it when I can. Sometimes you’ve got to give up and go freelance.
“One time I tried to do that with Wayne,” he added of grabbing Simien and informing him where to go on the court on one set play. “It didn’t work. That’s what these games are for. We’re going to learn and get better each time out.”
Next up for the Jayhawks is Tuesday’s exhibition against Fort Hays State. Tip is 7:05 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse. A limited number of tickets are available at 1-800-34-HAWKS.
