Recruit Price stands out during pick-up game

Kansas University basketball recruit A.J. Price didn’t look like he was suffering jet lag during a pick-up game Saturday at KU’s Horejsi Center.

Price, a 6-foot-1 point/shooting guard from Amityville, N.Y., caught a Saturday-morning flight from New York for his official recruiting trip to KU. He ran the court well and hit a batch of jumpers, including at least three three-pointers, to the delight of about 100 onlookers.

Meanwhile, the other prospect making his official visit, 6-11 Alexander “Sasha” Kaun of Russia, is recovering from a stress fracture in his foot and couldn’t play.

Kaun had to be intrigued by the play of KU junior Wayne Simien, who looked completely healed from offseason shoulder surgery. The 6-9, 255-pound Simien dunked, hit jumpers and blocked shots during the hour-and-a-half action.

Junior guard Michael Lee, who just last week was cleared to play, appears recovered from a left-knee strain. The 6-3 Lee ran the point as well as playing the two-guard position.

Meanwhile, KU newcomer J.R. Giddens, a 6-5 guard from Oklahoma City, didn’t play because he is recovering from surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot.

Giddens did, however, stick around after the pick-up action, and looked close to 100 percent as he dunked, dribbled and stuck long-distance shots.

“Sept. 15,” Giddens said of the date he could play. “I am pretty sure I could play now, but we will wait until my foot completely heals. It feels good, real good.

“I am dying to start playing. I can’t wait to get back on the court. Sitting out is giving me time to learn and get to know the guys and learn from them.”

Kansas University basketball recruit A.J. Price (55) keeps an eye on KU freshman Jeremy Case. Price played a pickup game with current Jayhawks Saturday at Horejsi Center. Fellow recruit Alexander Kaun visited but did not play.

Kaun, who averaged 13.0 points and 7.0 rebounds a game last year at Florida Air Academy in Melbourne, Fla., will visit Michigan State next weekend and Duke the last weekend of the month.

Price, who averaged 25.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists last year at Amityville High, will visit Syracuse next weekend, UConn Sept. 20 and St. John’s Sept. 27. His fifth visit — if he makes a fifth visit — will be to either FSU or Kentucky. The prospects were unavailable for comment.

¢

‘Nova game set: KU athletic director Lew Perkins confirmed Saturday the Jayhawks would play Villanova Jan. 2 at Allen Fieldhouse. KU will return the trip the following year and meet ‘Nova at First Union Center in Philadelphia, the home of the NBA’s 76ers.

KU’s schedule, which will be released Monday, will include four Big Monday games, three of them on the road: Jan. 5 at Colorado, Feb. 9 at Oklahoma State and Feb. 23 at Texas. KU’s lone home Big Monday game will be Feb. 2 against Missouri. The Jayhawks’ return trip to Missouri is set for March 7 in the league finale for both teams.

Other home games for KU: Michigan State (Nov. 25), Kansas State (Jan. 14), Colorado (Jan. 25), Texas Tech (Feb. 7), Baylor (Feb. 18), Iowa State (Feb. 21), Oklahoma (Feb. 29) and Nebraska (March 3). Other road games: Texas A&M (Jan. 17), Kansas State (Jan. 28), Iowa State (Jan. 31) and Nebraska (Feb. 15).

High school standout Alexander Sasha Kaun shoots in the Horejsi Center. Kaun and A.J. Price, both considering attending Kansas University, made official visits to KU Saturday and shot around with the Jayhawks.

The nonconference schedule includes a game against Oregon Dec. 13 at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo., and meeting with Stanford Dec. 6 at the Wooden Classic in Anaheim, Calif. KU will play Cal Santa Barbara and Nevada Dec. 20-21 in Reno, Nev. UT Chattanooga, Fort Hays State, Richmond and Binghamton will visit Allen Fieldhouse.

¢

League logo on court: There will be more than a massive Jayhawk on KU’s Allen Fieldhouse basketball court this season. The Big 12 Conference logo will appear just inside the three-point line on the northwest and southeast ends of the court. The logo was not on the court during the Roy Williams era.

“Larry Keating (associate AD) caught it. He said, ‘How come the conference logo isn’t on the floor?'” Perkins said. “We’re a proud member of the conference, and why wouldn’t we want to have that on there? We were the only conference school to not have it on there.”

Meanwhile, Perkins said there were no plans to charge admission to Late Night With Bill Self Oct. 17. It has been a free event in the past, and Perkins said he was in favor of keeping it free. “I wouldn’t be in favor of changing Late Night,” he said.