Kansas University freshman basketball walk-on Christian Garrett stopped to chat with a reporter and KU administrator as he traipsed to the weight room for a Boot Camp lifting session Monday afternoon in Anderson Family Strength and Conditioning Center.

“Tired,” Garrett said with a smile, asked how he felt midway through the first day of Bill Self’s two-week Boot Camp, which opened with an hour-long conditioning session at 6 a.m. in KU’s hoops practice facility.

“I puked,” the 6-foot-3, 170-pounder confessed.

“I was going hard the whole time, though,” he added with a sense of pride.

Garrett wasn’t the first Jayhawk in Self’s nine years at KU to lose his breakfast during strenuous up-before-the-dawn sprints and defensive slides and assuredly won’t be the last. Guys like Darrell Arthur and Chase Buford, among others, have used the trash barrels that line the court.

“It wasn’t shocking to me. It’s not my first time around,” KU sophomore forward Justin Wesley said of the rigorous opening day of his second Self Boot Camp. “It was kind of bad just because of getting up (at 5 a.m.). The running wasn’t really that bad. It’s more like a practice, being mentally tough and getting in shape. We weren’t that tired. I was actually impressed how we did as a team.”

The 6-foot-8, 220-pounder acknowledged the fact the first day of Boot Camp is usually the easiest.

“It’s more like a teaching day,” Wesley said. “We haven’t got into the real mix of it. I’m kind of anxious to see how it’s all going to pan out.

“I think everybody has a good attitude about it. Everybody is picking each other up when they are having trouble with the running and stuff. We are all coming together.”

Peters with epic performance … at receiver

Future KU basketball power forward Zach Peters had an incredible showing at wide receiver for Plano, Texas, Prestonwood Christian Academy on Friday night.

The 6-9, 235-pound Peters caught 17 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns in Prestonwood’s 62-34 victory.

With Prestonwood down, 34-33, quarterback Parker Ash (44-of-58 passes for 510 yards and seven touchdowns) connected with Peters for a 13-yard go-ahead TD score.

“It is a privilege to have all my receivers,” Ash told the Plano Star-Courier. “They are phenomenal and make me look better than I am.”

Peters for the year has 34 receptions for 445 yards and six touchdowns. Prestonwood Christian (3-1) is a two-time defending state champion.

Papapetrou enjoyed visit

Ioannis Papapetrou, a 6-8, 220-pound senior shooting guard from Florida Air Academy in Melbourne, Fla., had a good time on last weekend’s recruiting trip to KU, Air Academy coach Aubin Goporo told jayhawkslant.com.

“He loved the team and loved the fans,” Goporo said of Papapetrou, who averaged 22 points and seven assists his junior season.

Papapetrou, who is from Greece, will visit Texas on Oct. 14. He’s also considering Florida, Florida State and others.

Austin picks South Florida

Waverly Austin, a 6-11 sophomore center from Palm Beach (Fla.) State CC, has orally committed to the University of South Florida. A week ago, he listed Kansas, Missouri, Maryland, Miami, Florida, Baylor and others as schools on his list. He had said he’d attend the Oct. 14 Late Night in the Phog.