Texans draw crowd

By Chris Wristen     Jul 30, 2004

Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo
C.J. Miles dribbles past a defender during the Price Chopper/Kansas City Prep Invitational. Kansas University is one of many schools scouting the Texan at this week's event in Shawnee.

? Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self found a prime seat behind the basket Wednesday evening and Thursday morning to watch Texas high school hoops standouts C.J. Miles and Kevin Rogers play in the Price Chopper/Kansas City Prep Invitational Tournament.

Thursday night was Arizona coach Lute Olson’s turn to stroll into Okun Fieldhouse and find a seat where players couldn’t help but notice his presence. KU assistant Tim Jankovich stood nearby with a watchful eye on the charismatic Texas twosome.

“I try not to look so I don’t think about it,” Miles said of seeing famous faces in the crowd. “That’s when you take away from your game, when you look up there and start thinking ‘I’ve got to do this, or I’ve got to do that.’ I just play. After the game I’ll see them.”

There are only a select few coaches whose presence matter to Miles, however. Kansas, Texas, Georgia Tech, Arizona and North Carolina are the five schools on his list of college choices. The list is the same for Rogers, and the pair plan to attend the same school. Both are ranked among the top-40 prospects in the nation by rivals.com.

“People agreed to take us as a package deal, so why not go if we like the same school?” Miles said.

Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo
Touted recruit Kevin Rogers hangs on the rim after a dunk at the Price Chopper/Kansas City Prep Invitational Tournament. Rogers, who collected this slam Wednesday in Shawnee, says Kansas University is one of five schools remaining on his list of potential college destinations.

Rogers told the Journal-World that Kansas and Arizona are the front-runners to obtain their talent.

The pair had hoped to make an unofficial visit to Lawrence this week if time permitted, but that will not happen. Both said they definitely will make an official campus visit in the fall, however.

Miles and Rogers’ desire to be college teammates is a relatively new initiative. They didn’t know each other well until joining Team Texas — the same AAU squad that produced KU senior Keith Langford — this spring. A friendship was born quickly.

“We just bonded right off the bat,” Rogers said. “As soon as we started talking we just sort of clicked.”

Their on-court chemistry seems to be as strong as their off-court compatibility. Both are explosive finishers on offense, but they also look for each other on the fastbreak.

Rogers is a solid 6-foot-8, 220-pound power forward from Dallas South Oak Cliff High School who is aggressive on the boards and has a soft touch on his mid-range jump shot. Miles (6-5) of Dallas Skyline resembles a smaller J.R. Giddens with his explosiveness off the dribble and dead-on accuracy from three-point range.

Miles and Rogers led Team Texas to a 3-0 record in pool play and advanced to the winner’s bracket of tournament play. Their next game will be at noon today.

About 150 Kansas fans showed up Wednesday and Thursday to check out the two potential future Jayhawks, and another large turnout is expected today. That’s just fine with Rogers, who said he has enjoyed the special attention.

“We try to put on a show, whether it be in Las Vegas, Texas or here in Kansas City,” he said. “We just try to give the fans something they’ll enjoy.”

  • Hansbrough update: Tyler Hansbrough may not have wowed fans who saw him score 24 points in the St. Louis Eagles’ 78-69 loss to the Dakota Schoolers Wednesday night, but things were different Thursday evening.

Hansbrough, a 6-9, 230-pound power forward from Poplar Bluff (Mo.) High School, made some jaws drop when he poured in 40 points and grabbed more than 20 rebounds in the Eagles’ 96-81 shellacking of Georgia Elite. He scored on numerous thundering dunks against double-teams, gracefully adjusted his shot in mid-air to score on putbacks and sank his free throws.

The Eagles will open tournament play in the winner’s bracket at noon today.

  • Familiar faces: Former Jayhawk Rex Walters and former KU assistant Joe Holladay were in attendance at Thursday’s games. Walters, who led Kansas to the 1993 Final Four, is beginning his second season as an assistant coach at Valparaiso. Holladay is beginning his second season as an assistant at North Carolina after spending 10 seasons at Kansas.

Okun Fieldhouse is located on the Johnson County Girls Athletic Assn. complex in Shawnee.To get there from Lawrence, drive east on Kansas Highway 10 to K-7. Take the north K-7 exit and proceed to Johnson Drive. Go about two miles to the JCGAA complex.Or you can drive east on the Kansas Turnpike (I-70) to the K-7 exit and proceed south to Johnson Drive.
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