Santa Claus’ travels will not include Tomsk, Russia, late tonight, and not just because his reindeer might claim animal cruelty with forecasters predicting lows of 16 degrees below zero.

“We don’t really celebrate Christmas as much,” Sasha Kaun, Kansas University’s freshman basketball player from Siberia, said.

“Christmas is Jan. 7 on the old calendar. The biggest holiday is New Year’s. It’s when you get presents,” said Kaun, a 6-foot-11, 235-pounder and a Russian Orthodox Christian. “Christmas is a religious holiday, the birthday of Jesus the Christ. We go to church. New Year’s … people stay up all night, give presents, do crazy things.”

Kaun and the rest of his KU teammates, who held off Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 73-62, Wednesday, headed to various destinations Thursday.

They will return Monday to Lawrence to begin preparations for their New Year’s Day battle against ninth-ranked Georgia Tech at Allen Fieldhouse.

Kaun didn’t make the marathon flight to Russia. He’s in New York today with his girlfriend and her family.

“It’s nice to get away for a little break,” said Kaun, off to a slow start as a collegian with seven points and 16 boards in KU’s eight games.

Freshman Russell Robinson also will be in New York, his hometown, for Christmas.

“I’ll go back home four days, relax, get my body fresh and come back ready to prepare for Georgia Tech,” Robinson said.

Kansas University coach Bill Self, left, argues a call in the second half of the Jayhawks' 73-62 victory over Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Though he might have groused during the game Wednesday at Kemper Arena, Self has to be pleased the Jayhawks will carry an 8-0 record into winter break.

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Cameraman no-no: KU athletic director Lew Perkins became visibly agitated at a cameraman and the cameraman’s boss during Wednesday’s game at Kemper Arena.

A cameraman working the Jayhawk Network game, who reportedly had been told by KU representatives not to film the huddle during stoppages of play, taped footage of both the Wisconsin-Milwaukee and KU huddles during stoppages.

KU’s media relations director and bench personnel asked the cameraman to stop, but he kept filming before Perkins stepped into the fray and ordered him to stop.

“I’ve got to stand up for our coaches and players who have told me they do not want them (cameramen) there during timeouts,” Perkins said Wednesday, not wishing to discuss the situation further.

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Downs disciplined: KU signee Micah Downs, a 6-8 senior guard from Juanita High in Kirkland, Wash., is serving a two-game suspension for disciplinary reasons.

“He missed some team obligations, so there’s punishment,” Juanita coach Zeke Bambolo told the Seattle Times.

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Downs, who is averaging 24 points a game, watched his team’s 56-48 loss to Gonzaga Prep on Wednesday from the bench.

“If you watch the kid and how he interacts on the bench, he’s stayed involved,” Bambolo said. “He’s trying to be the best he can be. He’s going to take his punishment and be done with it. The kid’s a quality kid.”

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Boschee clinic coming: Former KU guard Jeff Boschee of the Kansas City Knights will be holding a holiday basketball clinic with Knights teammate Jon Crispin on Jan. 1-2 in the Overland Park area, tentatively at Blue Valley Northwest. The clinic for boys and girls in grades 3-12 will include two hours of teaching and demonstration per day. For information, send e-mail requests to psu_jc5@hotmail.com or call 913-344-8172.