Shy and reserved at least around the media Jeff Boschee has decided to open up.

Boschee, the 6-foot-1 former Kansas University basketball marksman and Big 12 career three-point leader, has authored a 180-page book titled, “Long Shot: Beating the Odds to Live a Jayhawk Dream.”

In the book, Boschee chronicles his years at KU, and his days as a high school phenom in the arctic outpost of Valley City, N.D.

“It talks about things that only me, my brother and my family members know. I think that’s the interesting part,” Boschee said.

The book goes on sale Nov. 1 with a signing session tentatively slated that afternoon at Mt. Oread Bookstore on the KU campus.

“A lot of people have seen the games, but don’t get to see what happens behind closed doors. I think it’ll surprise a lot of people,” Boschee added.

In a sneak preview, Boschee says the $14.95 publication examines a severe bout of homesickness he had his freshman year at KU.

“It was tough dealing with the situation of being away from home for the first time and having to step in and play right away. It was a tough chore,” said Boschee, who is continuing his work toward a degree in sports management this year after playing at KU from 1998 to 2002. “I struggled at times. It was a tough year for me, but it all paid off in the end.

“The book talks a lot about things that went through my head. It tells what I was thinking in certain aspects of games, certain situations that went on during the course of the year during practices and games.”

Boschee’s book, co-authored by Chicago Heights, Ill., school teacher Mark Horvath, is not written in diary format like Jerod Haase’s book, “Floorburns,” a Haase-Horvath production.

“Jerod didn’t have a lot of schoolwork to do his senior year. My schoolwork was too much to do that sort of thing,” Boschee said of keeping a daily diary. “At first I didn’t want to do a book of any kind, but I talked to Jerod (KU administrative assistant) about it and he said it was a good experience for him.

Jeff Boschee's new book, Long

“It’s good to see someone who comes from a small place, who has a small demeanor, make it in big-time Div. I basketball. It gives a lot of young kids out there hope that they can make it, too,” Boschee noted.

There’s been an initial press run of 12,000 books at Mennonite Press in Newton. The book includes several pages of photos, including one of Boschee shooting free throws as a 5-year-old.

“If there ever is a man of few words it’s probably Jeff,” Horvath said. “The first time you talk, he gives short answers. But we’d meet at Clinton Lake for a whole afternoon. One day we found a park somewhere in Overland Park and talked six to seven hours. He talks a lot more outside in a relaxed setting more than a confined area where I think he feels restrained. I think people are going to be surprised in learning so much about Jeff the person.”

Boschee he will intern in KU’s basketball office next semester has been practicing with KU’s team this preseason.

His impressions?

“The first five players are very talented and have a lot of experience. You can tell that on the court,” Boschee said. “The practice squad is struggling a little bit with some of the things obviously because they haven’t played together. It’s going to be interesting to see how they handle their lack of depth. If big Jeff Graves gets into shape, that could change matters. It’ll be fun to see.”

Speaking of Graves, KU’s 6-foot-9, 280-pounder from Iowa Western Community College who suffered a concussion in early September, on Thursday he was cleared by doctors to scrimmage at practice as well as participate in non-contact dummy drills.

Graves held his own at practice Friday against the likes of ex-Jayhawk Danny Manning, who took part in the 2-hour practice, along with former KU players Rex Walters and Steve Woodberry.

Manning still has not hooked on with an NBA team. The 14-year NBA veteran recently told the Journal-World he would not discount joining a team if called after the start of the season or perhaps even playing overseas.