Rains: The two who can’t let the whole team down

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

After Kansas lost six players to professional basketball, including five to the NBA Draft, everyone knew that the scoring load this season would fall on the only two experienced players: Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich.

Collins, a junior guard, averaged 9.3 points a year ago as the sixth man, and Aldrich, a sophomore center, showed signs of stardom in the Final Four when he dominated North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough. With seven newcomers, everyone knew this team would need big years out of both Collins and Aldrich for this season to be successful.

After two exhibition games, it’s pretty apparent that the two are ready for the challenge — and they know it.

“It starts with me and Cole,” Collins said. “Me and Cole have to be the centerpiece of the puzzle. Once we get going and Cole gets a block or I get a steal or a basket, it just gets everybody going.”

The 6-foot-11 Aldrich dominated the inside, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds while playing only four minutes in the second half. He even hit two deep jumpers just inside the three-point line and showed the confidence and swagger needed to be a major post presence for coach Bill Self and the Jayhawks.

Collins, meanwhile, did just about everything on Tuesday. He hit threes, he drove the lane, he hit pull-up jumpers — the game just seemed easy to him. Collins, who had the big steal and three-pointer that fueled the comeback against Memphis, scored 22 points for the second consecutive game and appears ready to handle the task of mentoring five freshmen and two junior college transfers.

“He’s not going to make all of his shots,” Self said. “But I think he’s doing a pretty good job of leading a bunch of young guys.”

Sure, Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed looked good in the exhibition games, but they aren’t expected to average 15 points a game like Collins and Aldrich are. Collins and Aldrich are essentials, and anything that Reed and Morningstar can provide is a bonus, and it remains to be seen whether their hot starts will continue once the competition improves.

And yes, some of the newcomers, including Tyshawn Taylor, Quintrell Thomas and the Morris twins, will become good players by the end of the season and will be counted on for key plays. But for now, this team belongs to two players — Collins and Aldrich. The Jayhawks will live and die this season by the performance of two key players.

“We have two standouts, and we need to play through those two guys,” Self said. “We’ll do it by committee with everybody else.”

The two barely played in the second half but were standing and cheering for their teammates the entire time. When walk-on Brennan Bechard hit a three-pointer late in the game for his first points of the night, it was Aldrich who was the first to jump to his feet and make the three-point signal with his hands. When walk-on freshman guard Jordan Juenemann made his Jayhawk debut, it was Collins who led the charge and waved his towel as Juenemann scored on a layup for his first career points.

“I think it’s going to be like that mostly all year,” freshman forward Marcus Morris said. “They are two great leaders and two veterans that were here last year, and they know how it is.”

The two remaining players who played in the championship game appear ready to put this young team on its shoulders — hoping to lead the Jayhawks to a 20th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in the process.

— — Edited by Lauren Keith

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