Mr. Laz
02-26-2008, 10:29 AM
Posted on Mon, Feb. 25, 2008 10:15 PM
Junior-college point guard Appleton commits to KU
By J. BRADY McCOLLOUGH
The Kansas City Star
<!-- START /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --> <script language="Javascript"> function PopupPic(sPicURL, sHeight, sWidth) { window.open( "http://media.kansascity.com/static/popup.html?"+sPicURL, "", "resizable=1,HEIGHT=" +sHeight+ ",WIDTH=" +sWidth); } </script> <!-- photo or image available --> <!-- Start: /pubsys/production/story/assets/image_embedded.comp --> http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2008/02/25/23/232-appleton_mug_02-26-2008_K411GBPK.embedded.prod_affiliate.81.jpg (http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2008/02/25/23/846-appleton_mug_02-26-2008_K411GBPK.standalone.prod_affiliate.81.jpg)
Appleton
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<!-- Commenting out fact box for Jody Cox --> <!-- /mi/pubsys/story/asset_list, include_asset_type=>"factbox" -->
<!-- END /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --> <table> </table> LAWRENCE | Tyrone Appleton had already visited Kansas once, but he wanted to see a game at Allen Fieldhouse before making his final decision. It just so happened that Appleton, a junior-college point guard, was in the house for KU’s 110-year celebration on Feb. 16.
“It was a great atmosphere,” Appleton said. “That’s what I came to see. It was great seeing all the NBA players and coaches like Larry Brown.”
Brown, of course, coached KU to its last national championship in 1988. And Appleton led his Midland (Texas) College squad to the 2007 NJCAA national title last season as a freshman. It all just made too much sense. On Monday, Appleton made his intention to play for Kansas official when he gave the Jayhawks an oral commitment.
“I want to help Kansas win another national championship,” said Appleton, who will have two years of eligibility remaining. “My biggest strengths are playing hard and competing, defense, whatever it takes to win.”
Appleton is ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 3 overall juco prospect in the 2008 class. He will join Chipola (Fla.) small forward Mario Little, the No. 1 overall juco prospect, as a critical two-year signee for Kansas, which will be replacing five seniors and possibly a few underclassmen this offseason. Appleton chose KU over Kentucky, Iowa State and Texas in becoming the Jayhawks’ sixth commitment.
A native of Gary, Ind., Appleton committed to Virginia Tech out of high school but failed to qualify academically. He led Midland to that national championship win over Little’s Chipola team in only his first year playing the point. Little was glad to know that Appleton had committed to Kansas.
“I didn’t even know Kansas was looking at him,” Little said. “I know he’s good. He’s a strong guard, and I know he can shoot it a little bit.”
At 6 feet 3 and 190 pounds, Appleton is known for his defense. He said KU has told him that he will play the point.
“This is the greatest feeling,” Appleton said, “knowing that I’m going to a winning program. I can’t wait.”
<hr class="infobox-hr-separator"> KU in a zone?
The looks on the Kansas players’ faces when told that coach Bill Self was considering playing more zone defense said it all. Sure, opposing guards have been having their way with the Jayhawks lately, but a zone?
“I don’t think we have to,” KU guard Russell Robinson said.
Sherron Collins said, “We aren’t too familiar with playing zone, but hopefully we get our heads right and just come out and guard so we don’t have to play zone.”
Other than allowing opposing guards to penetrate, foul trouble has been the other defensive concern. Self said he didn’t plan on changing KU’s defensive strategy of big men hedging on ball screens to protect the foul-prone Darrell Arthur.
“You’d have to change exactly how you play,” Self said, “and we’re not going to do that.”
•Self said Collins, who is playing with a bruised knee, didn’t need rest at this point in the season.
“His timing is off enough now that resting probably wouldn’t help him much,” Self said.
•In ESPN.com’s latest “Bracketology,” Texas supplanted Kansas as a No. 1 seed. The Jayhawks are projected as the No. 2 in the Houston region with Memphis as the No. 1.
To reach J. Brady McCollough, e-mail jmccollough@kcstar.com | J. Brady McCollough, jmccollough@kcstar.com
Junior-college point guard Appleton commits to KU
By J. BRADY McCOLLOUGH
The Kansas City Star
<!-- START /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --> <script language="Javascript"> function PopupPic(sPicURL, sHeight, sWidth) { window.open( "http://media.kansascity.com/static/popup.html?"+sPicURL, "", "resizable=1,HEIGHT=" +sHeight+ ",WIDTH=" +sWidth); } </script> <!-- photo or image available --> <!-- Start: /pubsys/production/story/assets/image_embedded.comp --> http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2008/02/25/23/232-appleton_mug_02-26-2008_K411GBPK.embedded.prod_affiliate.81.jpg (http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2008/02/25/23/846-appleton_mug_02-26-2008_K411GBPK.standalone.prod_affiliate.81.jpg)
Appleton
<!-- End: /pubsys/production/story/assets/image_embedded.comp -->
<!-- Commenting out fact box for Jody Cox --> <!-- /mi/pubsys/story/asset_list, include_asset_type=>"factbox" -->
<!-- END /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --> <table> </table> LAWRENCE | Tyrone Appleton had already visited Kansas once, but he wanted to see a game at Allen Fieldhouse before making his final decision. It just so happened that Appleton, a junior-college point guard, was in the house for KU’s 110-year celebration on Feb. 16.
“It was a great atmosphere,” Appleton said. “That’s what I came to see. It was great seeing all the NBA players and coaches like Larry Brown.”
Brown, of course, coached KU to its last national championship in 1988. And Appleton led his Midland (Texas) College squad to the 2007 NJCAA national title last season as a freshman. It all just made too much sense. On Monday, Appleton made his intention to play for Kansas official when he gave the Jayhawks an oral commitment.
“I want to help Kansas win another national championship,” said Appleton, who will have two years of eligibility remaining. “My biggest strengths are playing hard and competing, defense, whatever it takes to win.”
Appleton is ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 3 overall juco prospect in the 2008 class. He will join Chipola (Fla.) small forward Mario Little, the No. 1 overall juco prospect, as a critical two-year signee for Kansas, which will be replacing five seniors and possibly a few underclassmen this offseason. Appleton chose KU over Kentucky, Iowa State and Texas in becoming the Jayhawks’ sixth commitment.
A native of Gary, Ind., Appleton committed to Virginia Tech out of high school but failed to qualify academically. He led Midland to that national championship win over Little’s Chipola team in only his first year playing the point. Little was glad to know that Appleton had committed to Kansas.
“I didn’t even know Kansas was looking at him,” Little said. “I know he’s good. He’s a strong guard, and I know he can shoot it a little bit.”
At 6 feet 3 and 190 pounds, Appleton is known for his defense. He said KU has told him that he will play the point.
“This is the greatest feeling,” Appleton said, “knowing that I’m going to a winning program. I can’t wait.”
<hr class="infobox-hr-separator"> KU in a zone?
The looks on the Kansas players’ faces when told that coach Bill Self was considering playing more zone defense said it all. Sure, opposing guards have been having their way with the Jayhawks lately, but a zone?
“I don’t think we have to,” KU guard Russell Robinson said.
Sherron Collins said, “We aren’t too familiar with playing zone, but hopefully we get our heads right and just come out and guard so we don’t have to play zone.”
Other than allowing opposing guards to penetrate, foul trouble has been the other defensive concern. Self said he didn’t plan on changing KU’s defensive strategy of big men hedging on ball screens to protect the foul-prone Darrell Arthur.
“You’d have to change exactly how you play,” Self said, “and we’re not going to do that.”
•Self said Collins, who is playing with a bruised knee, didn’t need rest at this point in the season.
“His timing is off enough now that resting probably wouldn’t help him much,” Self said.
•In ESPN.com’s latest “Bracketology,” Texas supplanted Kansas as a No. 1 seed. The Jayhawks are projected as the No. 2 in the Houston region with Memphis as the No. 1.
To reach J. Brady McCollough, e-mail jmccollough@kcstar.com | J. Brady McCollough, jmccollough@kcstar.com