Late Night notebook: Rio Adams gets a boost

Kansas University senior leader Elijah Johnson was pleased to see freshman Rio Adams score three points and dish two assists in the scrimmage portion of Friday’s Late Night in the Phog in Allen Fieldhouse.

“He’s the kid in this group that was having a hard time adjusting,” Johnson said of the Seattle combo guard. “He was struggling, man. He still is. He needed tonight. He needed it bad because all he saw was the tough part. He vents to me all the time since Day One. So tonight to walk him out there and show him, ‘Coach isn’t yelling at you for no reason’ … I could see it in his face. This meant everything to him. He’s never been to an event here, ever. He’s seen it on TV.

“I enjoyed that. I told him, ‘Take it all in. We’ve got three more weeks until we get rolling.”’

Adams, who swished one of two three-pointers, had one of the scrimmage highlights. He fired a no-look pass to Jeff Withey for a dunk. Another highlight-reel play was a Ben McLemore slam dunk off a lob from Andrew White III.

KU coach Self said junior Justin Wesley (four points, two rebounds) was on scholarship again this year. He arrived as a walk-on transfer from Lamar.

Three top high school senior basketball prospects sat behind the northwest bench.

They were: Aaron Gordon, 6-8 forward, Archibishop Mitty High, San Jose, Calif.; Wayne Selden, 6-5 combo guard, Tilton (N.H.) High; and Joel Embiid, 7-foot center, Rock School, Gainesville, Fla. Also, future KU player Conner Frankamp, a 6-foot senior guard from Wichita North who has orally committed to KU, attended.

Juniors in attendance were: Clayton Custer, a 6-0 guard, Blue Valley Northwest; Lourawls Nairn, 5-9 guard, Wichita Sunrise Christian Academy; and Elbert Robinson, 6-10 forward, Lakeview Centennial, Garland, Texas.

KU football coach Charlie Weis spoke to the fans. His Jayhawks will play host to Oklahoma State at 2:30 p.m. today in Memorial Stadium.

“It’s supposed to be inclement weather, and I hope it is. I hope it pours, the wind is blowing, and I hope it’s a miserable day for Oklahoma State,” Weis said to the roar of the fans. “Tomorrow will be a challenge. You have two choices: stay warm at home or get wet with me.”

Self will host a panel discussion with a group that includes ESPN’s Jay Bilas and the Sporting News’ Mike DeCourcy at 6 p.m., Nov. 1, at Crown Toyota Pavilion in Lawrence. A question-and-answer session will follow the panel discussion. Proceeds from the event will benefit Self’s Assist Foundation programs. Tickets are available online at http://assistyouth.givezooks.com/