Manhattan ? Only one person seemed slightly disappointed in the debut of the most highly sought freshman ever to play for Kansas State.

“I got a little winded out there,” said Bill Walker, a 6-foot-6 forward. “I felt good. I just had to adjust to the speed of the game.”

Walker, who once had 50 points and 25 rebounds in an Ohio high school game, scored 15 points in the Wildcats’ 82-54 rout of Kennesaw State Sunday, but admitted he did not quite feel 100 percent.

Hitting four of his first six shots, Walker brought cheers from the big, appreciative crowd with a touch pass while still hanging in the air and a reverse layup as the Wildcats (7-3) roared to a 55-19 halftime lead over the outmanned Owls (2-7).

“I played all right,” he said. “I just want to come in and spark the defense, to help the team. The best way to do that is playing hard on defense.”

Walker, who led Cincinnati’s North College Hill High School to two Ohio State championships, also had four rebounds and an assist before going to the bench late in the game with four fouls.

He became eligible on Saturday, an event that occasioned a special news conference at a school where excitement has already surged with the arrival of Bob Huggins as head coach.

Kansas State forward Bill Walker battles Kennesaw State guard Keonte Keith for a loose ball. Walker made his long-awaited debut Sunday in Manhattan.

“He brings athleticism,” said Huggins. “We don’t have that kind of athleticism. And with that athleticism comes the ability to make plays that other people can’t make. He can do a lot of things.”

Huggins was not upset with Walker for getting winded.

“He hasn’t played a game since Aug. 1,” he said. “We just looked at a guy who just left high school.”

Walker brought a thunderous roar from the crowd when he entered the game with 15:22 left in the first half.

It didn’t take him long to get his first bucket, a baseline jumper less than two minutes later.

Appearing to be as quick and athletic as advertised, he kept almost everyone’s eyes glued. In one sequence, he seemed to hang in the air several seconds while putting in a short jumper. He also made a spectacular touch pass beneath the basket and brought the crowd to its feet with a reverse layup that made it 48-15 in the first half.

Nebraska 82, Alabama A&M 55

Lincoln, Neb. – Freshman Ryan Anderson scored 13 points in the first half to help Nebraska build an early 10-point lead, and the Cornhuskers rolled.