Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoLucas Johnson pounded his fists on the paint on James Naismith court Tuesday, regretting the late turnover he’d just thrown away that proved costly in Kansas University’s 91-87 victory over the EA Sports All-Stars at Allen Fieldhouse.
But the former Illinois forward — who played for Kansas’ Bill Self for the last three years — said Kansas fans had no reason to pound their fists because of any first-game aggravation caused by the Jayhawks’ slower-than-hoped-for adjustments to a new coaching system.
“I think it could be a bit of a transition,” Johnson said. “But I think what is nice about this team is they have some good leaders.
“If he was coming in to a Fab Five-type situation, where everyone is pretty young, that would be tough. But he’s got guys who have been through this, and that will make the transition pretty easy.”
Johnson said that wasn’t really the case when Self took over in Champaign, Ill.
“We had such a wake-up call when he came in on our first day of conditioning drills with Army fatigues on and said: ‘All right, fellas, time to go to war.'”
Apparently Johnson and the rest of his EA Sports teammates also had a tough time adjusting to the Allen Fieldhouse atmosphere Tuesday.
The Jayhawks took their biggest lead of the first half at eight points with 11:06 left, and the All-Stars had yet to hit a three — missing on all seven attempts.
“We knew those first five minutes we were trying to get our bodies in the flow of the game,” EA coach Price Johnson said. “We got in the flow, and Mike Brownlee started making some threes and adjusted the game and kind of changed their game plan.
“When you knock down threes, you’re pretty good.”
And the All-Stars were that.
EA hit on 16 of its next 26 shots from beyond an extended three-point stripe — KU is playing with a three-point stripe of 20-feet, 6-inches in its two exhibition contests — and nearly stole a victory away from the two-time defending Big 12 champs.
“Our job is to come here and give them a good game,” said Johnson, whose squad cut the deficit to 88-85 on a Brownlee three with 46 seconds left, but could not get any closer.
“But we’re out here to win. We all played major D-I ball, and we’re out here playing for pride, not just coming into the gym to play.”
Behind a 26-point effort by Brownlee, who played at College of Charleston, and 18 more points from guard Robert O’Kelly, the All-Stars were definitely a different team than the one that lost, 97-87, Saturday night at Wyoming.
But O’Kelly said part of that was because Allen Fieldhouse offered a different atmosphere.
“It is great to play here,” said O’Kelly, who played at Wake Forest. “The fans were great tonight, all of them. I even had a conversation with some of the fans during the game, and that was really fun.”
While Johnson might have had less fun in the fieldhouse because Kansas fans offered less-than-encouraging words when he complained to referees on several occasions, he did have a few friends in the KU locker room after the game.
“I’m proud of him. He didn’t flop,” Self joked of Johnson, who is known for his notorious flopping ability on charging calls. “I told Lucas after the game he never played that good for me, and he said ‘You never let me shoot.'”
Johnson said that in no time that also will be what Kansas fans will enjoy about Self’s Jayhawks.
“These guys are so lucky to have coach Self here,” Johnson said, with a smile. “They just need to trust coach Self. He knows what he’s talking about. And he’s going to take them.”
Too close for comfort
6Sports video: All-Stars throw scare into Kansas
Photo gallery: KU vs. EA Sports
Hear Bill: KU vs. EA Sports postgame