Bill Self has spent part of his summer following Kansas alumni in The Basketball Tournament, and he likes what he has seen from JHX Hoops - even if the team’s run has been defined as much by chaos as by wins.
Speaking Wednesday before JHX Hoops faced Kentucky alumni team La Familia in the semifinals, the Kansas coach praised the group’s effort and growth while taking a hard line on the postgame scene that followed Monday’s quarterfinal win over the AfterShocks.
"First of all, those guys are playing their butts off. They're trying hard. Just to practice a few practices and go out there and try hard, which I know the other teams are doing too, but I was really proud of them."
Self said the team’s path through the tournament showed clear improvement after a rough opening.
"We were awful... that first game. We were awful and they were better.
Then second game, God, we found a way to eke one out. Third game... guys finished."
The quarterfinal itself turned messy fast. Nine players were ejected after a second-quarter altercation, and another fight broke out after Frank Mason III hit the game-winning shot.
Self said the game had already gone off the rails once the ejections piled up, but his biggest issue was what happened after the final horn.
"That was obviously a weird game because of an incident when two guys get tied up and next thing you know seven guys-or how many guys got thrown out? Nine guys got thrown out. That was unfortunate."
"Of course what happened after the game was ridiculous and totally uncalled for."
Even with the ugly finish, Self said the tournament has highlighted how competitive former Jayhawks from different eras can be when they come together.
He pointed to Washburn alumnus Jacob Hanna as one of the team’s most valuable pieces, even though he is not among the most familiar names on the roster.
"Maybe the most impressive guy start to finish has been Hannah. He's been a stud because he plays the game the right way. He plays to win regardless of the situation."
Self also singled out Billy Preston and Carlton Bragg Jr. for taking on jobs outside their comfort zones to help JHX Hoops stay in the hunt.
"Everybody wants to play to what they do best. But in order for you guys to have a chance to win, those two got to be something that they're not.
They got to go guard Beasley. They got to go be big.
And I think they've actually done a really good job."
"I hope this brings interest and motivation to other players... because to me it looks like they're having fun."
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