KU’s team hotel, practice gym are dandy in Puerto Rico. Now it’s time for three games

Bill Self is pleased to report the accommodations have been perfect for Kansas’ basketball players and coaches one full day into their six-day, three-game exhibition tour in the Caribbean, 2,245 miles from home.

“We’re just getting here, but we’re staying at a pretty cool place,” Self, KU’s 21st-year head hoops coach, said of the Fairmont el San Juan Hotel, a beachfront resort with four pools, numerous restaurants and live entertainment nightly.

“The practice gym is great,” he added in speaking to The Star after conducting a 1-hour, 20-minute practice session Wednesday at the air-conditioned, spacious gym at Academia del Perpetuo Socorro, a 12-minute drive from the team hotel.

“It’s air conditioned and the floor is good,” Self assessed, well aware college teams sometimes run into slippery floors on their summer tours, allowed by the NCAA once every four years. No Jayhawk had problems with footing on Wednesday.

“It’s a good practice gym,” Self reiterated.

The Jayhawks held a spirited practice in the facility located on Jose Marti Street, one so narrow it takes solid navigational skills to squeeze a bus or SUV through the avenue.

“Today it was average,” Self said of the practice held in advance of Thursday’s 11 a.m. Central game against Puerto Rico Select Team at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, a 30-minute drive from the team hotel.

“The guys seemed enthused. We hadn’t gone up and down in a couple of days. They did a good job of that,” Self added.

Self was asked the same question far from home as he’s asked before every season opener in Lawrence. That is: “Can you name a starting lineup for the exhibition opener?”

“I would imagine that Juan (Harris), KJ (Adams), Kevin (McCullar) and Hunter (Dickinson) will start all the games here,” Self said Wednesday.

KU will also play the Bahamian National Team at 4 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Monday.

“I would imagine that, but we’ll probably rotate on who will start the other ones,” Self said, “whether it be Arterio (Morris), or Elmarko (Jackson) or Nick (Timberlake) or maybe even Jamari (McDowell), maybe rotate who starts the other games (in that fifth spot). I look at them all playing similar minutes.”

There were several highlights on both offense and defense during Wednesday’s scrimmage portion of practice.

Morris, a sophomore transfer guard from Texas, followed a Nick Timberlake steal and bucket with a steal and slam of his own. On the next offensive possession after his dunk, Morris sank a 3-pointer.

Point guard Harris, who led numerous fast breaks lobbed it up to Dickinson for a slam. Later he pumped his fist in delight after missing a layup only to see 7-foot, former Michigan big man Dickinson clean up the rebound and secure the stickback bucket.

Also, Jackson had a perfectly timed lob to Adams for a slam. Timberlake and McCullar sank the majority of 3s on a day the Jayhawks mostly scored inside or from mid-range.

“It’s always going to be a concern probably with any team that I ever coach,” Self said of outside shooting, “but I think we’re getting better in that area. We can certainly shoot it better.”

Of Thursday’s exhibition game, Self, who has no idea who will be playing for Puerto Rico, said: “I don’t know that we’re ready. We’ve had good practices though. I think we’ve gotten better. It’s been a good summer. I think we’re pretty athletic. The guys seem to like each other. It’s been a positive deal so far.”

The Jayhawk players were pleased to learn after the workout, they would be awarded a free afternoon and evening to hit the beach.

“The weather is hot so the guys will enjoy the beach,” Self said.

Asked about the sunny, 90-degree weather Wednesday, which included high humidity, Self said: “I think it is Florida heat. Even though the temperature is 89, it feels like it’s 101. It’s not any hotter here than it has been in Lawrence.”

The three exhibitions will be played under FIBA rules.

“We haven’t really gone over it with them (players) yet. We know there is a 24-second clock that resets to 14. We know we can’t throw it in the backcourt from side out of bounds except in certain situations. We’ll educate them tonight.”

The games, available on the Jayhawk Radio Network and streamed at kuathletics.com, will consist of four 10-minute quarters apiece. Any overtime would be five minutes. Also, once the ball strikes the rim, any player can swat the ball away or tap it in.