Mihm arrives as a at
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MIHM from page 9
Mihm was disappointed in his
decreasing playing time at the end of
the tournament despite averaging 6.8
points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
“Whatever,” Mihm said.
“Whatever is good for the team. The
coach had different views, and I just
wanted to make sure that we came
away with the gold medal. It was
frustrating, but we were able to come
away winners.”
His disappointment at his limited
role in Spain displays just how far
Mihm has come as a player. His new
attitude, along with his raw talent,
will land Mihm a job at the next
level.
The NBA beckons Mihm, but
right now the upcoming season is the
only thing on his mind.
“It is something that I hear a lot
about and am told,” Mihm said. “It is
a dream of mine but won’t seem true
until it actually happens. I continue
to work for it every day.
“But I don’t think it is fair for me
or my team to have my mind on that
right now. I just have to concentrate
on making myself a better player
because I have a lot to learn in the
game of basketball.”
While he enters his junior year
with a newfound confidence, he still
is in awe of what lies ahead. He has
worked out against David Robinson
and attended Pete Newell’s Big Man
Camp, the prestigious camp where
NBA stars go to polish their games.
He did both of those while still at
«
I have played against quite a few NBA players,
but even just watching them helps me out.” t
Chris Mihm
Texas center
Westlake.
Mihm sees his role changing at
the next level. He envisions himself
becoming a multidimensional player,
much like Kevin Garnett or Tim
Duncan. But to get there he knows he
will have to work harder.
“I have played against quite a few
NBA players, but even just watching
them helps me out,” Mihm said. “I
used my time with David as a step
ping stone. I saw that he is at a point
where I want to be.”
To get to that point, Mihm will
have to endure at least one more sea
son at Texas. Mihm is unsure of what
will be harder to overcome this sea
son, expectations or opposing
defenses.
“Defenses were part of the reason
I struggled last season,” Mihm said.
“I had to learn how to score against
two or three defenders. There was a
time when I swear that (Texas) A&M
had four guys in the lane trying to
clog up the middle.”
He was repeatedly doubled and
triple-teamed last season, but he real
izes that is the way the game is
played.
Optimism is the word for Mihm.
He believes that the Longhorns will
be better equipped this season to ease
the pressure on him.
“This season we will have much
better shooters to complement Gabe
and I,” Mihm said. “The newcomers
have shown that they can play, and I
am expecting big things from Ivan
(Wagner).”
UT Coach Rick Barnes is expect
ing much of the same.
“There no doubt that our team is
built around Chris Mihm and Gabe
Muoneke,” Barnes said. “We are
talking about two of the best players
in this league and in the country, and
our offense will go through them. A
year ago, people sagged back in on
them ... I hope they do that again this
year. We have guys who will make
shots and take shots.”
Mihm wants to make sure that the
new cast leads to a different outcome
in the season.
“We tell the new guys that Texas
is not going to be a one and out team
in the NCAA tournament anymore,”
Mihm said. “Expectations have to be
risen for this team. Texas should be a
national powerhouse in basketball.
There is no reason it should not be.”
KU center looks to drop mistakes
CHENOWITH from page 9
times, has displayed versatility rarely
seen, Williams said With his extremely
long frame and arms, deceptive quick
ness, good jumping ability and shoot
ing range, the junior, according to his
coach, is well-rounded after only two
years.
As a freshman, he had his
moments. He blocked one shot for
every 10 minutes he played and aver
aged nearly six points and five
rebounds per game.
More importantly, Chenowith
gained valuable experience both by bat
tling current Denver Nugget Raef
Lafrentz in practice and filling in for
him when the consensus first-team All
American sat out 10 games with an
injury.
Chenowith said his freshman sea
son was one big learning experience.
“When I got to Kansas, playing
against Raef and then kind of getting
thrown into the fire really sped up the
learning curve,” Chenowith said. “I
was lost at times, but it helped me to
step in last year.”
Last season, the learning curve was_
accelerated even more. The center start
ed all 33 games, averaging 13.9 points
per contest. He added nine rebounds
per game and blocked 78 shots, leading
the team in all three categories.
But there were those flaws so mad
dening to the Jayhawk nation: the
inconsistency, the high turnover num
ber from the post and the tendency to
get pushed around by muscle-bound
opponents.
66
If (Chenowith) gets stronger, he could
emerge as perhaps the best all-around
center in the country
JayBilas
ESPN analyst
Chenowith and Williams believe
that the first two are a product of age.
The lack of mass, though, is a major
concern to both. Chenowith said he has
worked hard to improve his strength in
the off season.
“That has been my major focus
over the summer,” he said. ‘Tve gained
20 pounds (up to 265) since the end of
last season. I’m going to be more of a
physical player this year.”
However, the “soft player” label
stuck on-him by some is one he strong
ly disagreed with.
“I’m not a soft player by any
means,” Chenowith said. “I’ve always
posted up hard and played as hard as I
could. I might have been a little weak,
but I was never soft”
Apparently, the experts agree.
They’ve named him to various presea
son All-America teams and selected
him as a Naismith award candidate. He
also gets high praise, albeit with quali
fications.
Said ESPN analyst Jay Bilas:
“Chenowith has had a natural progres
sion fora college star ... If he gets
stronger, he could emerge as perhaps
the best all-around center in the coun
try.”
His coach agreed.
“Eric has a chance to be one of the
best I’ve had here, if he continues to
work hard,” Williams said.
All that’s left for Chenowith is to
prove his naysayers wrong and the
experts right. He’s confident, foresee
ing a time somewhere in the near future
where all the faithful will do is sing his
praises.
“It’s great to get recognition
because it motivates me to work even
harder,” Chenowith said. “Things like
All-Big 12 and All-American used to
be dreams. Now they are goals.
“I’m more confident than I’ve ever
been, confident in my moves and
everything going on around me. I’m
not confused on the court anymore. I’m
ready to go.”
Watch the wheels turn in
Chenowith’s head. A packed Allen
Fieldhouse, a raucous crowd, a Kansas
win and the coffee shop consensus
from Dodge City to Wichita: Eric
Chenowith is the rock-solid star of the
Jayhawks. ,
Hyman leads NU bowlers
in weekend tournament
ByRobPetzold
Staff Writer
The Nebraska Women’s
Bowling team rolled this past week
end, winning the Brunswick
Southern Classic in Marietta, Ga.
The defending national champi
ons were led by sophomore Diandra
Hyman, who led all women
bowlers, averaging 216.
The Huskers tallied 11,125
points, beating out runner-up
Morehead State, which finished
with 11,041 points.
NU Coach Bill Straub was
pleased with the team’s perfor
mance.
“We led from start to finish,”
Straub said. “We came into this
tournament not expecting a guaran
teed victory, but I’m not surprised
by our performance.”
Senior All-American Kim Claus
also contributed greatly to the
Huskers’ win.
Clause, a native of Mesquite,
Texas, finished third overall with a
208 average. Stacey Rogers, a
senior from Sioux Falls, S.D., fin
ished 8th, averaging 198 points
overall in NU’s win.
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