Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tyshawn Taylor streaked down the court followed by three red jerseys, and I yawned. Just 18 minutes into the game, it seemed like Kansas had more fast breaks than Pittsburg State had points. Looks like another easy layup, I thought.
But then, without looking, Taylor flipped the ball backwards and over his shoulder to an onrushing Marcus Morris, who leaped over two bewildered defenders and finished with an emphatic two-handed dunk.
Morris screamed into the baseline camera. Pittsburg State players stared at their shoelaces. I froze mid-yawn. And Allen Fieldhouse erupted with decibels usually reserved for Missouri games.
A minute later, Thomas Robinson plucked the ball away from the Gorillas, then cleared the majority of the free-throw lane on his ensuing dunk at the other end. The fieldhouse reached near delirium.
We’d better get used to it. This team is good — the big “1” by its name on every major preseason poll proves that much. But Tuesday’s game showed that this team could easily be the most entertaining that Kansas has seen in years.
This exhibition game certainly lived up to its title. Sure, it means nothing in the long run. But it was fun for everyone. Except, of course, those wearing bright red jerseys. The Gorillas were as much spectators to the Jayhawks’ show as those sitting in the stands.
They could do little except watch Kansas’ 40-minute highlight reel. It started when Sherron Collins tossed up a ball for Connor Teahan to slam into the net. It was probably the first alley-oop attempted in the fieldhouse this decade by a white guy not named Aldrich or Collison.
Teahan couldn’t finish that one, but it was just the start of a game full of plays that could’ve made even Big Jay’s jaw drop. Robinson made the court his own personal playground, even drawing a technical foul for hanging on the rim like a 6-year-old on monkey bars. So when he soared for another Michael Jordan-esque dunk minutes later, he made sure not to hang on.
Aldrich joined in on the fun with his own tomahawk dunk as the first half expired. Maybe instead of hitting three-pointers at the end of nearly every first period like last year’s squad, the Jayhawks could just enter halftime this year with ridiculous dunks.
But it wasn’t just on the offensive end. If my eyes didn’t deceive me, Xavier Henry was grinning as he guarded Pittsburg State’s throw-in after Robinson’s first dunk. A basketball player enjoying defense goes against everything the sport stands for, but at the same time, it looked perfect.
So sit back and enjoy this year, Kansas fans. Whether the Jayhawks are cutting down nets in April or not, it’ll be fun to watch. This isn’t the same blue-collar team from 2008 that was defined by a two-minute miracle comeback. That team prided itself on its equal efforts and lack of superstars. This year’s team might be defined by how many times they appear on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays each week.
But make sure you soak in the mind-boggling athleticism while you can. Collins will be gone after this year, and odds are Aldrich joins him. This year is merely a speed bump in Henry’s road to NBA stardom, and Kansas will be lucky if Taylor’s not gone by next year, too.
For now, however, the team will be performing every week at a stadium near (or not-so-near) you, and it’ll be worth catching every second.
— Edited by Samantha Foster
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Comments
Petterson: Jayhawks entertain with plays
Could you write any more of an incorrect article? This article makes you sound like you either didn't watch the game, or you are inept at writing a coherent article.
"Marcus Morris, who leaped over two bewildered defenders and finished with an emphatic two-handed dunk."
Two-handed? Looked like a one-handed throwdown to everyone with their eyes open.
"A minute later, Thomas Robinson plucked the ball away from the Gorillas, then cleared the majority of the free-throw lane on his ensuing dunk at the other end."
A minute later? On the other end? Did TRob score for the other team? Did we switch ends of the court in thirty second intervals? Come on.
"They could do little except watch Kansas’ 40-minute highlight reel. It started when Sherron Collins tossed up a ball for Connor Teahan to slam into the net. It was probably the first alley-oop attempted in the fieldhouse this decade by a white guy not named Aldrich or Collison."
Started? That play was late. There were plenty of highlight reel plays long before that failed oop. Teahan the first white guy? Did you miss Sasha Kaun? Christian Moody?
Come on man. I hope you can do better than this.
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