The C-J's Sunday College Basketball Notebook
The signatures in the guestbook said they had come from San Diego and Saudi Arabia, from Tennessee and Texas.
All told, an estimated 5,000 UK fans showed up over the past two days for an open house at the Joe Craft Center, UK's $30 million practice facility and athletic offices complex.
"There's a huge sense that our fans claim ownership in our program," said Scott Stricklin, UK's associate athletic director for media relations. "And this is a pretty important part of our program that we wanted them to be able to see."
Fans strolled through the facility yesterday, snapping photos and seeking autographs. With coach Billy Gillispie and his players absent, they settled for longtime equipment manager Bill Keightley.
The men's and women's practice courts, locker rooms and lounges were open to the public, as were several offices and a pass-through to Memorial Coliseum. That building, home to UK women's basketball and volleyball games, sported a new court.
Jason Duncan, a Lexington native and the boys' basketball coach at Bryan Station Middle School, toured with a group of friends and said the open house was a "fan-friendly" move that made the UK athletic department seem more approachable.
"I just wanted to check it all out and see the facility," he said. "It appears to be second to none -- big-time attention to detail, very recruit-friendly."
One of Duncan's players might someday test the recruit-friendliness of the building. Duncan said Gillispie already is aware of Jaylen Beckham, a standout eighth-grader at Bryan Station Middle.
WESTERN KENTUCKY
Lee has been a camp regular
WKU senior-to-be Courtney Lee has been busy working on his game this summer by participating in several camps run by NBA stars. The 6-foot-5 swingman was invited to the LeBron James King's Academy from June 22-24 in Akron, Ohio, before taking part June 25-28 in the Vince Carter Skills Academy in Orlando, Fla., and James' Skills Academy from July 6-11, which also was held in Akron.
To be invited to these events, Lee received an assist from coach Darrin Horn and his staff.
"Coach Horn got in touch with the people at Nike," said Lee, who ranks 12th on the Hilltoppers' career scoring list with 1,503 points. "They sent the invite to the office, and I went forward from there."
"I think this was important for both our program and for Courtney to be selected, simply because when you look at the roster of who was invited to those events, it's very rare to have someone from a non-BCS conference there," Horn said. "The fact that he was invited says a lot about the respect level that our program warrants nationally and, obviously, shows the reputation that he has earned around the country."
For Lee and the other campers, many shared the feeling that kids have when attending collegiate coaches' summer camps at which they have served as counselors.
"We were excited and ready to get in line, just like the kids at Coach Horn's camp," he said. "It was incredible to get to learn from people who are involved in basketball at such a high level."
There were lots of recognizable names on the floor with Lee. Players who attended the events included Chris Douglas-Roberts (Memphis), Damion James (Texas), Drew Lavender (Xavier), Tywon Lawson (North Carolina), James Mays (Clemson), Drew Neitzel (Michigan State), Scottie Reynolds (Villanova) and K.C. Rivers (Clemson).
Even competing against such well-known players, Lee was comfortable the minute he stepped on the court.
"You realize that the only difference between yourself and the other campers is the name of the school," he said. "It wasn't much different for me going against them than it is when playing games with our guys at WKU."
ELSEWHERE
NCAA's head of officials to retire
Hank Nichols, the NCAA's national coordinator of men's basketball officials, said he will retire at the end of this season. The 70-year-old was hired in 1986 after working six national championship games, then a record.
Tom O'Connor, athletic director at George Mason and incoming chairman of the Division I men's basketball committee, said a committee will be formed to find Nichols' successor.
Nichols worked 10 Final Fours, three National Invitation Tournament title games and the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. In 1983 he became the first official to work the NIT and NCAA championship games in the same year.
Last-second shots
Associate head coach Brett Reed was promoted to take over the men's program at Lehigh on Friday, three days after Billy Taylor left the Mountain Hawks for Ball State. Reed was an assistant at Lehigh for five seasons.
Ricky Stokes (14-44 record in two seasons) is out as coach at East Carolina. Associate head coach Mack McCarthy will take over.
Contributing C-J writer this week: Brett Dawson.
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