Kansas guard Stewart breaks kneecap

SAN ANTONIO – Kansas guard Rodrick Stewart, a senior transfer from USC, broke his right kneecap today on a dunk attempt at the end of the Jayhawks’ practice session at the Alamodome.

Kansas Coach Bill Self said the injury would require surgery.

Kansas plays North Carolina on Saturday in an NCAA national semifinal game.

“I’m heartbroken right now,” said teammate Brandon Rush, who suffered torn right knee ligaments last year. “I’ve been there, it’s painful. The whole team is down right now.”

Self said Stewart slipped on a wet spot on the court. Self and several Kansas players surrounded Stewart under the basket.

Stewart’s knee was put in a brace and he was taken off the court in a golf cart.

Stewart averaged 2.8 points and 11.6 minutes per game.

The freak injury, suffered during a non-structured practice period, left Kansas players stunned on the eve of their Final Four game against North Carolina.

Reserve senior guard Jeremy Case, whose playing time might increase in Stewart’s absence, said he first thought Stewart was joking when he fell to the floor after his dunk attempt.

After realizing the injury was serious, Case said, “I kind of got a bad feeling in my stomach. Sad day.”

Stewart transferred to Kansas from USC in December 2004 after averaging 4.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per game as a freshman for the Trojans.

–

Chris Dufresne

——

Memphis Coach John Calipari says what Vance Walberg’s offense needed was a snappier name.

Walberg, the former Pepperdine coach, called it Attack, Attack, Skip, Attack, Attack, or AASAA for short.

Calipari called the offense – a scheme based on dribble penetration – the Dribble Drive Motion offense.

Lately, he’s come up with something even catchier.

“Princeton on Steroids,” Calipari said.

Walberg, a former junior college coach who resigned at Pepperdine at mid-season amid team dissension and a losing record, only laughed.

“You know John, John’s good at all that,” he said. “He can call it anything he wants. He’s doing a great job with it.”

With Memphis in the Final Four with an adapted version of AASAA – or whatever you want to call it – Walberg has been along for the ride part of the time, joining the Tigers in Little Rock, Ark., Houston and now San Antonio.

“I’ll just go to John’s hotel, spend some time with him and try to stay out of the way. It’s just out of friendship,” said Walberg, who said he is hoping to find another coaching opportunity.

Calipari met Walberg six years ago, and by three years ago he was using the offense. He has invited Walberg to join him along the road to the Final Four, helping him with tickets.

“He loves it,” Calipari said. “I didn’t want to steal his stuff. It’s his stuff. Now, he wouldn’t do it the way I’m running it. He still thinks you need to do this, or that.

“I said, ‘Vance, you need to defend like we defend.’ ”

–

Robyn Norwood