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When the 2008 national champion Kansas Jayhawks rolled into the Dodge High Fieldhouse on Sunday, the excitement and enjoyment were at an all-time high.
Jayhawks Jeremy Case, Darnell Jackson, Sasha Kaun, Russell Robinson, Brad Weatherspoon and Rodrick Stewart first signed autographs during the Dodge City portion of their 2008 Barnstorming Tour. Then they all — minus the injured Stewart — played an interesting basketball game against the Southwest Kansas High School All-Stars.
The Jayhawks won 121-102, but the final score wasn't important. What was important was the fun that everyone in the stands and on the court was having.
The Jayhawks didn't try too hard to play basketball, but their athleticism and talent were evident.
Robinson sunk nearly every three-pointer he took, and Kaun repeatedly flew through the air and dunked the ball.
The high school all-stars consisted of Bobby Wesely (Garden City High), Dennan Morrow (Larned High), Bryan Powers (Dodge High), Mykael Thompson (Dodge High), Eli Applegate (South Gray High), Irv Hollinger (Wichita Heights High), Brayton Maier (Dodge High), Will Brown (Syracuse High), Clyde Redger (South Gray High) and Robert Sigala (Southwestern Heights High).
"The high school guys are good," Robinson said. "They're real talented and athletic. They have a promising future."
All the Jayhawks had promising futures as members of the Harlem Globetrotters. Their on-court shenanigans were unrivaled.
Jackson, in particular, was having a blast. He did everything: hiding the ball in his jersey, passing it to the ref for a three-pointer and walking down court with his arm around Hollinger.
"He's a character," Thompson said. "He's a pretty good guy too."
Powers started a battle he couldn't finish when he untied Jackson's shoes.
Kaun noticed the hijinks and attempted to de-pants Powers, then just settled for untying his shoes.
But Powers was rewarded in the end.
"I came out with a jersey with all their signatures on it," Powers said, proudly holding up an autographed Jackson jersey.
Powers, along with the other all-stars, showed off his athletic ability with a few dunks. However, if the high school kids missed it, the Jayhawks were willing to come back down court and show them how it's done.
Other on-court fun included children from the crowd shooting the ball, and Kaun picking Case up for dunks. Children were held up to dunk the ball. Robinson was calling the game over the PA system at the end, and all 10 all-stars were on the court at once, trying to take on the champs.
"It was fun," Applegate said. "It was a blast. It's fun to play them."
Applegate and Redger have a little bit in common with the Jayhawks: They're champions too.
In January, Applegate and Redger's South Gray Rebels won their second straight state championship.
That was a great way for both to finish off their high school careers, but they got just a little extra Sunday.
"This is just the icing on the cake," Redger said.
The Dodge City crowd was hot throughout. The fans cheered for everything and made the Jayhawks feel welcome.
"This is my first time in Dodge City," Robinson said. "But this is the way it's been in any town. There's a whole lot of love wherever we're at."
Thompson, who also played in the Barnstorming Tour in Garden City, said Sunday's event was better than the one in Garden.
"A lot of fans showed up," Thompson said. "It was all about having a good time and giving back to the community."
The community gave back to Dodge City Community College too. The event was a fundraiser for DCCC men's and women's basketball, and the Jayhawks auctioned off a Robinson shoe and a piece of floor. Both items were autographed by the team.
Robinson was the auction master, and both items went for big bucks.
The high school all-stars got to see what the national champs look like and saw something to aspire to.
"I saw their size and athleticism," Thompson said. "Everyone tells me I have the size and athleticism of a Division 1 player, but I gotta work on my skill level."
Thompson will get that chance next season, when he and Hollinger play for the Conquistadors.
Powers was impressed with the size of the champs.
"I went to Sasha and I was looking at him in maybe his belly," Powers said. "I saw they way they play. I wish I was that good."
Applegate said he was glad just to have fun with the Jayhawks.
"Oh, God," he said. "If they took it seriously, it'd be an annihilation."
In the end, the hard work of the all-stars and the champs was rewarded, and the Dodge City fans got to share in it.
"This is where all our hard work pays off," Robinson said. "We get to enjoy the championship with Kansas."
When the 2008 national champion Kansas Jayhawks rolled into the Dodge High Fieldhouse on Sunday, the excitement and enjoyment were at an all-time high.
Jayhawks Jeremy Case, Darnell Jackson, Sasha Kaun, Russell Robinson, Brad Weatherspoon and Rodrick Stewart first signed autographs during the Dodge City portion of their 2008 Barnstorming Tour. Then they all — minus the injured Stewart — played an interesting basketball game against the Southwest Kansas High School All-Stars.
The Jayhawks won 121-102, but the final score wasn't important. What was important was the fun that everyone in the stands and on the court was having.
The Jayhawks didn't try too hard to play basketball, but their athleticism and talent were evident.
Robinson sunk nearly every three-pointer he took, and Kaun repeatedly flew through the air and dunked the ball.
The high school all-stars consisted of Bobby Wesely (Garden City High), Dennan Morrow (Larned High), Bryan Powers (Dodge High), Mykael Thompson (Dodge High), Eli Applegate (South Gray High), Irv Hollinger (Wichita Heights High), Brayton Maier (Dodge High), Will Brown (Syracuse High), Clyde Redger (South Gray High) and Robert Sigala (Southwestern Heights High).
"The high school guys are good," Robinson said. "They're real talented and athletic. They have a promising future."
All the Jayhawks had promising futures as members of the Harlem Globetrotters. Their on-court shenanigans were unrivaled.
Jackson, in particular, was having a blast. He did everything: hiding the ball in his jersey, passing it to the ref for a three-pointer and walking down court with his arm around Hollinger.
"He's a character," Thompson said. "He's a pretty good guy too."
Powers started a battle he couldn't finish when he untied Jackson's shoes.
Kaun noticed the hijinks and attempted to de-pants Powers, then just settled for untying his shoes.
But Powers was rewarded in the end.
"I came out with a jersey with all their signatures on it," Powers said, proudly holding up an autographed Jackson jersey.
Powers, along with the other all-stars, showed off his athletic ability with a few dunks. However, if the high school kids missed it, the Jayhawks were willing to come back down court and show them how it's done.
Other on-court fun included children from the crowd shooting the ball, and Kaun picking Case up for dunks. Children were held up to dunk the ball. Robinson was calling the game over the PA system at the end, and all 10 all-stars were on the court at once, trying to take on the champs.
"It was fun," Applegate said. "It was a blast. It's fun to play them."
Applegate and Redger have a little bit in common with the Jayhawks: They're champions too.
In January, Applegate and Redger's South Gray Rebels won their second straight state championship.
That was a great way for both to finish off their high school careers, but they got just a little extra Sunday.
"This is just the icing on the cake," Redger said.
The Dodge City crowd was hot throughout. The fans cheered for everything and made the Jayhawks feel welcome.
"This is my first time in Dodge City," Robinson said. "But this is the way it's been in any town. There's a whole lot of love wherever we're at."
Thompson, who also played in the Barnstorming Tour in Garden City, said Sunday's event was better than the one in Garden.
"A lot of fans showed up," Thompson said. "It was all about having a good time and giving back to the community."
The community gave back to Dodge City Community College too. The event was a fundraiser for DCCC men's and women's basketball, and the Jayhawks auctioned off a Robinson shoe and a piece of floor. Both items were autographed by the team.
Robinson was the auction master, and both items went for big bucks.
The high school all-stars got to see what the national champs look like and saw something to aspire to.
"I saw their size and athleticism," Thompson said. "Everyone tells me I have the size and athleticism of a Division 1 player, but I gotta work on my skill level."
Thompson will get that chance next season, when he and Hollinger play for the Conquistadors.
Powers was impressed with the size of the champs.
"I went to Sasha and I was looking at him in maybe his belly," Powers said. "I saw they way they play. I wish I was that good."
Applegate said he was glad just to have fun with the Jayhawks.
"Oh, God," he said. "If they took it seriously, it'd be an annihilation."
In the end, the hard work of the all-stars and the champs was rewarded, and the Dodge City fans got to share in it.
"This is where all our hard work pays off," Robinson said. "We get to enjoy the championship with Kansas."
