Thirty teams expected to compete in Jayhawk Invitational next weekend

The second-annual Jayhawk Invitational, which will feature high school basketball players from across the country, will be held April 12-14 at Kansas University’s Allen Fieldhouse and Horejsi Center, plus Sport 2 Sport.

Approximately 30 teams will compete in the 15, 16 and 17 age divisions. Local teams entered include Lawrence Sport 2 Sport, Kansas City Nets, KC Rocktown and KC Premier.

Also the Colorado Express, Colorado Chaos, Houston Hardballers, South Carolina Topps, South Dakota Schoolers, California Beach Cities AAU and Utah Champion Sports teams will participate.

Tourney organizers Hoop Group, Bob Gibbons All Star Sports and Sport 2 Sport next week will finalize schedules and release names of some future college recruits competing in the tourney.

The Hoop Group this weekend is sponsoring the Jam Fest in Providence, R.I.

Last May, KU signees Keith Langford and Jeff Hawkins participated in the Invitational. It is believed KU recruit Moulaye Niang of El Cajon, Calif., will not be competing.

“We moved it up so the tournament could be held in a live recruiting period and Div. I coaches could attend,” Sport 2 Sport’s Roger Morningstar said.

“However we kind of got squelched. A new NCAA rule has been passed that says unless a tournament is sanctioned by the state activities association, coaches can’t go. Our state doesn’t sanction such events. Bob Gibbons and the Hoop Group will be there to evaluate players, but no Div. I coaches.”

Morningstar, a former KU player, said the tournament is designed to give KU a boost in recruiting, to bring to campus some players who otherwise might never see Lawrence.

“Long term what we’re trying to do is let some of the better players get on campus and have an opportunity to make an unofficial visit and see what is here,” he said. “If you are from Texas or Utah or somewhere like that you probably think Kansas is one big wheat field with a couple of buildings. When you get here you realize what a special place it is.

“The major emphasis is for this event to get bigger and better each year and hopefully some of these kids will sign with KU some day.”

Admission is $5 on Friday night, $7 Saturday and $5 Sunday. A weekend pass costs $10. Tickets will be sold at each of the venues.

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Chenowith in France: Former Kansas center Eric Chenowith, who recently was named honorable mention National Basketball Developmental League after averaging 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds for Huntsville, Ala., is playing for Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez in France.

Ex-Jayhawk Billy Thomas was named first team NBDL after averaging 25.0 points a game for Greenville.

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Stats of note: Here are some stats of interest from the just-completed KU season.

KU scored more points (3,365) than any team in school history while allowing the most points (2,765) of any KU team. Kansas averaged 90.9 ppg., finishing runner-up to the 1989-90 Jayhawks’ school-record average of 92.1 ppg. … KU finished first in school history in steals (357); second in school history in rebounds (1,638), field goals made (1,259), free throws made (623), assists (767), three-point percentage (.418) and average steals per game (9.65).

KU finished third in history in three pointers made (224) and blocked shots (210).

Aaron Miles’ 252 assists rank second in single-season assists behind Cedric Hunter (278 in 1986). Miles’ 6.8 assists per game rank fourth.

Drew Gooden’s 423 rebounds rank second behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 510 in 1957. Jeff Boschee’s 110 threes rank second to Terry Brown, who hit 111 in 1991. Kirk Hinrich’s 47.8 three-point percentage is third in KU history.