KU seniors to play local team at OHS

They picked Ottawa and then went on to win the NCAA National Championship.

The Jayhawk seniors will play 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Ottawa High School against a group of players from the Ottawa area in an exhibition game. The game will have two 20-minute halves with a running clock.

“We are extremely lucky,” Sara Caylor, Executive Director CASA of the Fourth Judicial District, said. “It is a great event for the community.”

Caylor said several groups try to get the Barnstormers to play in their community and this year Ottawa was picked. The last time this happened was 1988 — which ironically was the last time the Jayhawks won a national title.

“We are a good luck charm,” Caylor said.

Because of the national title, this year’s event tickets went fast. Only a handful of tickets remain at Peoples Bank, Frank Eye Center and State Farm Insurance. Cost is $12 for adults and $6 for children, 11 and under.

There will be an autograph session from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Caylor said each person is limited to one item for an autograph to keep the line moving.

The Kansas players expected to participate are Russell Robinson, Sasha Kaun, Darnell Jackson, Jeremy Case, Roderick Stewart and Brad Witherspoon.

Stewart will not play because of his injured knee.

The local team includes three OHS seniors — Ian Mathews, Chase Moore and Jacob Sipple — along with former OHS and Ottawa University player Wade Hepner, Osage County Attorney Brandon Jones, Ottawa Police Chief Dennis Butler, Will Hurst, Steven Burkhart, Dr. John Gollier III, Bill Allegre, Pete Hornung, Ryan Jones and Keith King.

The three OHS seniors can’t wait to test their skills against the champs.

“It is going to be a memorable experience to play against those guys,” Mathews, a recent MidAmerica Nazarene signee, said. “It is going to be a lot of fun.”

Sipple, who is also going to play for MidAmerica, said, “this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It is exciting.”

Moore said it will be an eye-opener.

“It is a totally different level,” Moore said. “I don’t want to get embarrassed.”

Moore and Sipple expect to stay outside the 3-point arc to keep from battling Kahn and Jackson. But the two figure to have their hands full with Robinson, Case and Witherspoon.

“I plan on shooting it deep,” Moore, who is the OHS all-time leader in treys made, said.

Sipple said driving to the basket probably would not a wise thing to do.

It will be up to Mathews to battle the big boys.

“We are going to have to triple team down in the post,” Mathews said. “If I can score, I will be very happy.”

Greg Mast can be reached at sports@ottawaherald.com.