Jayhawks relish past, present

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 18, 2008 by Asher Fusco

By Asher Fusco

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

LAWRENCE -- Kansas welcomed its new flock to the Phog by paying homage to the past.

KU's Late Night in the Phog pep rally focused on tradition, namely the program's past national championships and current contingent in the NBA. Friday night also offered the current Jayhawks, including seven newcomers, a chance to strut their stuff - - on the dance floor and the basketball court.

"It was a great atmosphere," said KU guard Sherron Collins. "Probably the best Late Night atmosphere since I've been here."

The crown jewel of the festivities was the unveiling of KU's 2008 National Championship banner, preceded by a 20-minute video recap of the team's run to the title. The banner raised slowly at the south end of Allen Fieldhouse as thousands of fans tilted cameras upward to capture the moment.

The highlights featured a brief trip through the 2008 conference season, a quick rewind of the Big 12 Conference Tournament, and a game-by-game journey through the NCAA Tournament. The crowd temporarily tempered its roar to focus on the highlight reel of the 2008 national championship game -- until Memphis' epic collapse and Chalmers' iconic shot, of course.

"I almost started crying," Self said. "And I don't think I was the only one."

Following the women's basketball team's dance and scrimmage, Jayhawk fans welcomed a group of 2009 men's basketball recruits to Allen Fieldhouse with a resounding cheer. Guards Xavier Henry (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Dominic Cheek (Jersey City, N.J.), Michael Snaer (Moreno Valley, Calif.) and Elijah Johnson (Las Vegas, Nev.) took in the rally from behind the bench. Self said including those making unofficial visits, nearly 10 prospects attended.

"(The prospects) were here. They've seen the atmosphere," KU guard Sherron Collins said. "I don't think any other late night would've topped this one."

A nine-minute video presentation showcased the KU alums currently on NBA rosters. Fans cheered several minutes of clips from each of the players' college and professional careers. Mario Chalmers' segment seemed to earn the most applause. Each class donned era- appropriate costumes and danced to tunes dated to reflect KU's past national championships: The senior class moved to a 20s tune, the juniors to a 50s hit, the freshmen to an 80s song and the junior group to a contemporary beat.

Oh yeah, there was also a bit of basketball.

The red team dispatched the blue, 48-34, in 20 minutes. Incumbent floor general Sherron Collins dueled with freshman guard Tyshawn Taylor in the most up-tempo matchup of the scrimmage. Collins scored eight points and Taylor finished with 17. Marcus and Markieff Morris played on opposite teams but didn't match up against one another. Each twin looked comfortable playing inside and out, with Marcus scoring six to Markieff's 13.

"We didn't play bad," Self said. "We looked decent out there, even playing brother-in-law ball, and no defense and guys looking tired."

Guard Tyrone Appleton sat out of the scrimmage with an injury.

The KU women played to a 17-17 tie in their 10-minute scrimmage. Center Marija Zinic led all scorers with seven points and freshman point guard Angel Goodrich contributed four points and two assists in her Jayhawk debut.By Asher Fusco

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

LAWRENCE -- Kansas welcomed its new flock to the Phog by paying homage to the past.

KU's Late Night in the Phog pep rally focused on tradition, namely the program's past national championships and current contingent in the NBA. Friday night also offered the current Jayhawks, including seven newcomers, a chance to strut their stuff - - on the dance floor and the basketball court.

"It was a great atmosphere," said KU guard Sherron Collins. "Probably the best Late Night atmosphere since I've been here."

The crown jewel of the festivities was the unveiling of KU's 2008 national championship banner, preceded by a 20-minute video recap of the team's run to the title. The banner raised slowly at the south end of Allen Fieldhouse as thousands of fans tilted cameras upward to capture the moment.

The highlights featured a brief trip through the 2008 conference season, a quick rewind of the Big 12 Conference Tournament, and a game-by-game journey through the NCAA Tournament. The crowd temporarily tempered its roar to focus on the highlight reel of the 2008 national championship game -- until Memphis' epic collapse and Mario Chalmers' iconic shot, of course.

"I almost started crying," KU coach Bill Self said. "And I don't think I was the only one."

Following the women's basketball team's dance and scrimmage, Jayhawk fans welcomed a group of 2009 men's basketball recruits to Allen Fieldhouse with a resounding cheer. Guards Xavier Henry (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Dominic Cheek (Jersey City, N.J.), Michael Snaer (Moreno Valley, Calif.) and Elijah Johnson (Las Vegas, Nev.) took in the rally from behind the bench. Self said including those making unofficial visits, nearly 10 prospects attended.

"(The prospects) were here. They've seen the atmosphere," Collins said. "I don't think any other late night would've topped this one."