Coach soaks up sun, golf benefit

By Gary Bedore     Jun 14, 2008

Thad Allender
Kansas men's basketball head coach Bill Self

Bill Self’s fifth-annual, 28-team Lawrence Parks and Recreation Youth Scholarship Golf Classic ended in a tie Friday afternoon at sun-baked Eagle Bend Golf Course.

The foursome of Steve Bunter, Daniel Brumley, Bill Huffman and Joe Reitz shot 55 in the scramble format, topping the host’s team of Self, Kent Ferguson, Terry Keefer and Pat O’Toole, which also shot 55 but lost the scorecard tiebreaker.

The tournament annually provides scholarship money for youths to participate in various Parks and Rec activities.

“Lee Ice got me hooked up in this years ago,” Self said of former KU baseball standout and assistant coach Ice, who works as Youth Sports Supervisor for Parks and Rec.

“Everybody knows there are so many worthwhile causes out there. Parks and Rec is something dear to my heart because I’m trying to do something with my Wellness (Center, to be funded by his Assists Foundation) that could involve Parks and Rec. This scholarship provides opportunities for youth for years to come.”

As far as Self’s golf game … “I’ve gotten out four times this year, this makes five,” he said. “Whenever you can remember how many times you’ve played means you haven’t played much. I’m excited to be out here. Summer’s almost over, at least for us (basketball staff). I need to play as much as I can the next couple of weeks.”

¢ Mario at No. 26: Draftexpress.com, which is considered by many the best of the NBA Draft Web sites, finally has deemed KU’s Mario Chalmers a first-round pick.

The site, which had Chalmers listed in the second round the last month or so, now believes the 6-foot-1 guard will be selected No. 26 overall by San Antonio in the 30-pick first round.

Draftexpress.com believes Brandon Rush will be tapped No. 15 by Phoenix and Darrell Arthur No. 18 by Washington. Sasha Kaun, the Web site says, will be selected by Houston with the 24th pick of the second round.

ESPN’s Chad Ford says Arthur will be tapped No. 14 by Golden State, Rush No. 15 by Phoenix and Chalmers No. 22 by Orlando.

Arthur, by the way, canceled a workout with the Toronto Raptors this week, citing a hamstring injury.

It’s possibly Arthur merely doesn’t want to play for Toronto.

“We’ve been trying to bring him back about five times,” Raptors director of player personnel Jim Kelly told Toronto’s National Post. “He’s been, let’s call it, elusive, for the lack of a better term.”

Toronto has the No. 17 pick in the draft.

Arthur, the Sacramento Bee reports, was to work out for the Kings on Friday night with Russell Westbrook, Joe Alexander and Ty Lawson.

¢ Kaun in Utah: Kaun worked out for the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

“I’m not the most skilled guy,” Kaun told the Deseret News, “but I feed off hustle plays, rebounds, just running stuff and playing hard. Right now, my offense needs a lot of improvement, and that’s something I’m definitely looking forward to working on when I get to the pro level.”

PREV POST

6Sports video: Bonnie Henrickson hosts Elite Camp

NEXT POST

29863Coach soaks up sun, golf benefit