Miles Playing Like a Veteran

Since Arizona won the 1997 NCAA tournament with freshman Mike Bibby at point guard, several teams have advanced to the Final Four with a first-year player at the position.

Aaron Miles of Kansas is the latest, a Portland, Ore., import who revels in distributing the ball to his experienced teammates. He averages 6.8 assists and has an assist-turnover ratio of 2.3-1.

“Kids nowadays come into the college game so much more prepared than they were 10 or 15 years ago,” Jayhawk Coach Roy Williams said. “The kids are more worldly, they’re not as naive, not as scared.”

Miles is a fast learner. He held a 3.7 grade-point average and was student body president at his high school.

Although Williams pulled him in the late moments of close games early in the season, Miles’ confidence accelerated after a 15-point, 15-assist game against Texas Tech in the Big 12 Conference tournament.

“We’ve played 36 basketball games and that experience has been important to him,” Williams said. “Going through a very difficult schedule, kids are more ready to do things.”

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There is no team from the South in the Final Four, so a few folks here are trying to make Maryland feel at home.

Two billboards read, “Welcome to Garyland,” a reference to Maryland Coach Gary Williams.

“Cost me a thousand bucks for those two billboards,” he said, laughing.

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Steve Henson