Shawnee — Kansas University basketball prospect Travis Releford enjoyed the comforts of being close to home at the Price Chopper K.C. Prep Invitational on Friday.
Still, the junior-to-be said home might not be where his heart is when it comes time to choose a college.
"That's something that's true," Releford said. "Ever since I was a child, I wanted to go far away from home to a big college - a (Division I) college - to play ball. That was always one of my dreams."
The 6-foot-3 shooting guard - ranked eighth overall in the class of 2008 - is being heavily pursued by KU and also recently by Missouri.
He will attend Roeland Park Miege High this fall, making it tough for Kansas to give him the distance he desires.
"Something like that," Releford said. "I mean, KU's a good school, though. I like the coaches. It's cool."
K.C. Pump N Run coach L.J. Goolsby isn't convinced by Releford's talk.
Though the coach has only had limited discussions with Releford about colleges - mostly because he still has two years to decide - Goolsby believes local teams will have as good a shot as any.
"I think KU and Missouri are obviously going to be huge parts because they're close to home," Goolsby said. "He might say he wants to get away, but I think it's still hard for kids to go away from home when it comes down to it."
K.C. Pump N Run's Travis Releford drives past Team Texas Elite defender Nate Miles during the Price Chopper/K.C. Prep Invitational in Shawnee. Releford scored 25 points Friday in his team's 97-91 overtime victory.
Along with Kansas, Releford has received interest from Duke, North Carolina, Connecticut and Texas.
"It's all going to be dependent upon the best fit, whether that's the West coast or East coast or wherever," Goolsby said. "Wherever's the best fit for him and his career is what I think it will come down to."
Releford looked more than comfortable at home Friday.
He scored 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting as K.C. Pump N Run defeated Team Texas Elite, 97-91, in overtime.
"It's good to be home," Releford said. "I have a big crowd cheering for me. It's the last (tournament) of the year, so I'm just trying to get the win."
¢ Kansas target Tyrel Reed also played a large role in Pump N Run's comeback victory.
With his team trailing by three, the Burlington High product sent the game into overtime after hitting a guarded three-pointer from the left wing with 13 seconds remaining.
The senior-to-be - who is considering KU, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and others - finished with a team-high 26 points on 7-of-12 shooting after scoring just seven points in the first half.
He did have problems, however, containing Team Texas Elite's Rotnei Clark. The 5-9 guard went off for 35 points, with numerous shots coming from beyond the arc.
K.C. Pump N Run also faced Clark last month during the Jayhawk Invitational in Lawrence.
"We were prepared, but I guess we weren't prepared enough," Goolsby said. "He put on a little clinic tonight."
¢ Highly recruited Chicago product Derrick Rose was a no-show for the tournament after his team - Meanstreets Express - called to pull out of the event at 7 a.m. Friday.
Rose, who is ranked No. 3 overall in the class of 2007, has interest from KU, Illinois, North Carolina, Memphis and others.
"I think Tyrel and Travis - all our guys were wanting to compete against something like that," Goolsby said, "but we weren't for sure if he was going to show."
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