Lyle Stafford/Special to the Journal-WorldVancouver, British Columbia ? Officially, C.J. Giles was credited with one blocked shot in Kansas University’s 82-51 exhibition basketball victory over the University of British Columbia on Saturday at War Memorial Gym.
Like Al Gore in the last presidential election, KU’s freshman center would be wise to ask for a recount.
“He had two to three more than that,” KU coach Bill Self said of the Jayhawks’ pencil-thin human eraser, who deflected more shots than a Team Canada World Cup goalie Saturday.
Senior Wayne Simien scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. But Giles, a 6-foot-10, 222-pound rookie from Seattle who had four points, seven rebounds and a handful of blocks, just might have been unofficial player of the game.
“I thought he was one of the most pleasant surprises today,” Self said, adding, “C.J. does a couple of things better than anybody in the program.
“He keeps the ball high offensively when he catches it and is our best athlete at blocking shots and altering them. He is an athletic guy with great timing. Aside from Wayne, he was by far our best rebounder.”
Giles’ athletic ability had one NBA scout — yes, some NBA scouts have ventured to the Great White North for KU’s four exhibition games — drooling.
“He can run like a deer and is athletic. What he has you can’t teach. It’s God-given ability, like LeBron (James) and Michael (Jordan),” the scout, who did not wish to be identified, said of Giles’ innate gifts. “He blocks shots, which is so important in our league. I guarantee you if he stays at Kansas four years, he will be the school’s all-time shot-block leader.”
Aw shucks, says the polite, low-key Giles, who played before his dad, Chester Giles, one of the 2,000 fans in the stands in a gym that seats about 4,000.
Chester lives in Seattle and, like former Jayhawk Nick Collison of the Seattle SuperSonics, made the 2 1/2-hour drive to Canada on Saturday.
“I played OK. I’d give myself a grade of about 80 (percent out of 100),” Giles said, admitting he was a bit nervous playing before several hundred KU fans. “I’ve said from the start I came to KU to block shots and rebound. I don’t really care about scoring. We’ve got other guys who can do that.”
He played 12 minutes in his Jayhawk exhibition debut.
“At first I had jitters. After I made my first blocked shot, they went away,” Giles said.
He explained his shot-blocking technique.
“Basically, timing,” he said. “When the ball leaves his hand, I’m just going up to beat it up.”
Saturday, in a game in which KU was never seriously threatened — KU led 20-7 lead after 7 1/2 minutes and 39-25 at halftime — the players did a good bit of beating each other up, within the rules, of course.
“It was a pretty physical game. They came in a little undersized, but played hard and didn’t back down,” Simien said of the Thunderbirds, who had no players taller than 6-7.
“It was a little chippy, man,” he added of players exchanging a few words, “but there were not too many cheap shots. It’s competing.”
KU freshman Russell Robinson impressed with 12 points and three assists in 18 minutes.
“Russell is way beyond his years,” Self said of the 6-1 guard from New York. “He is so much further along than I thought he’d be at this stage. We recruited him as a combo (guard). He is a combo, but certainly more comfortable playing with the ball in his hands than we thought he would be this early.
“The thing about Russell, the veterans love playing with him, and that’s always a great thing.”
“It’s because he’s a competitor and wants to win,” senior guard Aaron Miles said.
Keith Langford and J.R. Giddens combined for 13 points off 5-of-15 shooting as they continue their recovery from offseason surgeries.
“It’s unfortunate J.R. and Keith obviously are not themselves yet,” Self said. “That’s something they’ve got to get back to that level (of old), get their timing and explosiveness back.”
Senior Michael Lee had six points in 13 minutes and sustained a cut above an eye from an unidentified elbow that required three stitches to close.
The Jayhawks continue their weekend trip with two games today. KU will tangle with Langara College at 1 p.m. at UBC’s gym, then meet Fraser Valley at 9 p.m. in Abbottsford, B.C.
Self said Langford, Miles, Giddens, Simien and Michael Lee may not play in the first game.
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