Miami signee Giles says he wants to visit KU

By Gary Bedore     Apr 1, 2004

Detroit combo guard Malik Hairston apparently isn’t the only high school basketball senior still considering attending Kansas University.

C.J. Giles, a 6-foot-11 center from Seattle’s Rainier Beach High, has told media members in Washington and Florida he wants out of his national letter of intent with the University of Miami and would like to visit KU and Arizona.

Giles, the son of former KU player Chester Giles, seeks a divorce from Miami because the coach he signed with, Perry Clark, was fired last week.

“I’m looking out for my son’s best interests,” Chester Giles told the Seattle Times in asking for the release.

Until a release is granted, Giles cannot contact coaches at KU, Arizona or Washington.

“He called, and we spoke briefly, but I told him we are reluctant to (give a release) and that we have not really done that in the past,” Miami athletic director Paul Dee said of talking to Giles Jr.

“I told him it is better to wait and see who comes in. I don’t think that’s the answer he wanted, but that is how we have usually handled it.”

Giles averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks a game his senior season. For Giles to play at another school immediately without sitting out a year, he would need to obtain his release from Miami, then appeal to the National Letter of Intent Steering Committee, a group of conference commissioners.

Meanwhile, the 6-6 185-pound Hairston, who scored 11 points in a losing cause in Wednesday’s McDonald’s All-America game in Oklahoma City, told Thayer Evans of theinsiders.com he may need two additional weeks to decide between KU, UCLA, Ohio State, Michigan and Oklahoma.

He plans on signing a letter of intent with a school on April 14, the first day of the month-long late signing period.

“The only thing I think I will do,” Hairston said, “is sit down and get in some meetings with my coaches and parents to weigh the pros and cons of each school.”

He says he has no clue which school he’ll pick.

KU signee Darnell Jackson, 6-9 from Midwest City, Okla., visited with Hairston at the McDonald’s game.

“I think Malik is coming to Kansas,” Jackson told Shay Wildeboor of rivals.com. “That is just me. I do not know what he will do for sure, but I get the feeling he is coming to Kansas.”

Kansas has filled all 14 scholarships, meaning somebody will have to transfer or give up a scholarship if Hairston, Giles or any other players elect to come to KU.

So far, only KU soph Moulaye Niang has said he’s not yet sure whether he’ll be back next season.

  • Marchiony to be honored: Kansas University associate athletic director Jim Marchiony will receive the 16th Katha Quinn Award, presented by the United States Basketball Writers Assn., in ceremonies Monday at the Final Four in San Antonio.

The Quinn Award is given to individuals, who like former St. John’s sports information director Quinn, “provide an inspiration to those in the sports journalism profession.”

Marchiony, who worked for the NCAA 17 years, is being honored for his work as media coordinator for the Division I tournament for five years.

Rick Bozich, president of the USBWAA, said Marchiony “always understood the valuable contributions of the print media to the growth of the NCAA Tournament long before the Final Four became college basketball’s equivalent of the Super Bowl.”

Marchiony is thrilled to receive the award.

“To me this is a tremendous honor,” Marchiony said. “I knew Katha very well when I was at Iona and Georgetown and had the utmost respect for her as a person and sports information director. The writers seeing fit to honor me is a thrill in itself.”

Quinn died after a bout with cancer 16 years ago.

  • Barnstorming tour: KU seniors Bryant Nash, Jeff Graves and Brett Olson have announced the dates for their “barnstorming tour” of the state.

The seniors, plus two or three other ex-Jayhawks, will play seven exhibition games in April against various all-star teams.

Here’s the slate: April: 10-at Salina, 1 p.m., and at Hutchinson, 6:30 p.m. 24-at Grinnell, 5:30 p.m. 28-at Blue Valley West, 7 p.m. 29-at Chanute, 6:30 p.m.

May: 1-at Osage City, 12:30 p.m. and at Eureka, 5:30 p.m.

  • Coaching carousel: KU associate head coach Norm Roberts figures to be a candidate for the Manhattan job if Jaspars’ coach Bobby Gonzalez is hired by St. John’s or Miami. … Former KU assistant and North Carolina head coach Matt Doherty may land at James Madison. He was in Harrisonburg, Va., Monday to tour campus. Doherty is a finalist with North Carolina State assistant Larry Hunter, Georgia Tech assistant Dean Keener and Clemson assistant Ron Bradley. Doherty, according to published reports, has put out feelers for the Miami job.
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