Kansas University freshman Sherron Collins, who was slowed by a case of patellar tendinitis in his left knee the last month of the 2006-07 basketball season, has been cleared for full-contact workouts and pickup games.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound point guard from Chicago, who had a “very, very bad case of it,” according to KU coach Bill Self, “has been working out, but now is available for full participation.”
NCAA rules allow two hours of supervised skill work per week in the offseason. Players can compete in unsupervised pickup action whenever they want.
“Sherron’s conditioning is very good for this time of the year and the fact he hasn’t been able to do much since the end of the season,” Self said.
Meanwhile, junior Sasha Kaun, who has been wearing a boot to protect a severe ankle sprain, also is back on the court for full-contact workouts and pickup contests.
¢ Releford may be missing: Travis Releford, a 6-3 junior from Roeland Park Miege, said Wednesday he may not play in this weekend’s Jayhawk Invitational at Allen Fieldhouse.
Releford, who is considering KU, North Carolina, Texas and others, said he “probably” would be heading to San Francisco to work out with the Adidas Nation team that will compete against overseas competition this summer.
Releford’s Kansas City Pump N Run team is slated to meet Oklahoma City Athletes First at 8:45 p.m. Friday at Allen Fieldhouse. Steve Moore, a 6-9, 235-pound junior forward from Truman High in Independence, Mo., also plays for Pump N Run. Moore is considering KU, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and others.
Xavier Henry, a 6-6 sophomore from Putnam City (Okla.) High and the son of former KU standout Carl Henry, plays for Athletes First.
The St. Louis Eagles, who boast a pair of KU junior targets in 6-10 John Brandenburg of St. Louis DeSmet High, and 6-6 Scott Suggs of Augusta High in Washington, Mo., will meet the Las Vegas Prospects at 10 p.m. Friday at Allen. The Prospects are led by 6-8 Luke Babbitt, who has committed to Ohio State.
Full brackets and schedules are available at jayhawkinvitational.com
¢ Henry started streak: Some KU fans might want to thank ex-Jayhawk Henry, the coach of Athletes First, at this weekend’s AAU Tournament.
Henry, you may or may not recall, was the hero of KU’s 63-61 victory over Kansas State on Feb. 25, 1984, at KSU’s Ahearn Fieldhouse.
That victory started KU’s current 24-game win streak over KSU in Manhattan.
Henry scored KU’s last four points. He followed his own missed shot with 3:47 left to tie the game at 61-61. With three seconds to play, Mark Turgeon passed to Henry for a 15-foot baseline shot over KSU’s Eddie Elder to clinch the win for the Jayhawks.
Henry had 12 points in the game, while current Texas A&M coach Turgeon had five assists.
Henry does not consider that game his finest effort as a Jayhawk.
“One of my favorite memories, favorite games is when we won the Big Eight against Oklahoma my senior year at Kemper Arena. We won the (conference) tournament,” Henry said.
Henry’s Jayhawks went on to beat Alcorn State, then lose to Wake Forest in the 1984 NCAA Tournament.
“What I remember the most is Allen Fieldhouse,” he noted. “Anybody who has played there has great memories of Allen Fieldhouse.”