Post by 01- PirateDave on Feb 21, 2015 18:50:00 GMT -6
Kansas team manager who had to quit hoops suits up for Saturday's game
February, 21, 2015
By Myron Medcalf | ESPN.com
Kansas team manager Chris Huey, a 6-foot-7 senior playfully called “Scarecrow” by teammates and coaches, ditched his duties on Saturday to suit up for the No. 8 Jayhawks in their home matchup against TCU.
Huey sported a No. 23 jersey for the occasion and even earned a mention in the official game notes.
According to the Kansas City Star, Huey was a solid basketball player who began his career at Saint Mary, an NAIA school in Leavenworth, Kansas. But he suffered a collapsed lung three times -- the first was reportedly the result of a vicious collision in high school -- and ultimately chose to stop playing and attend Kansas, where he's stayed close to the game while serving as a team manager.
Prior to the TCU game, coach Bill Self told Huey, a Kansas City-area native, that he wanted to reward him for his contributions to the team.
Per the KC Star:
“He’s unbelievably bright,” Self will say. “You can tell him anything, and he’ll remember it. He’s been a big asset for us.”
So much so, in fact, that Self approached Huey in the weeks leading up to Saturday’s game against TCU. After a season on the scout team, Self wanted to offer a reward: Huey would suit up against TCU, don a Kansas uniform and take his place on the bench -- just like the rest of the players. In the days before the game, Self kept the gesture quiet. But around the KU basketball office, staffers were busy putting him on the official roster, finding proper gear and adding his head shot to the pregame notes.
Would he get in the game, though? For most of the day, Kansas had a comfortable lead, but not quite comfortable enough to insert a student manager into the action.
But with 35 seconds to go, KU extended its lead to 11 and Self made the call. Get in there, Scarecrow.
The crowd went nuts.
good luck to all!