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As Bill Self's jubilation of Kansas winning a national title was soon followed by the reality that departures from that team would leave huge holes in talent and numbers, the KU coach found encouragement in Sherron Collins and Mario Chalmers.

"We'll still have one of the best backcourts around," Self would often say.

Now Collins is tangled in legal woes and Chalmers is gone to the NBA -- as a second-round draft pick by Miami. Collins' troubles over the alleged assault of a woman could be sorted during his trial July 8, but there's no question about the other half of that backcourt.

From Self's vantage point, that was a lot to lose for a second rounder.

"And with eligibility left," Self said.

When Bailey Gee showed up to varsity basketball tryouts at Andover Central her freshman year, she was a scrawny 14-year-old with some raw talent.

Four years later, Gee stands as one of the more accomplished girls basketball players in Kansas history. Adding the Lynette Woodard High School Female Athlete of the Year award at the Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on Friday only solidifies her achievements.

"She came in as a freshman and she was really skinny and didn't want to get touched," Jaguars coach Stana Jefferson recalled. "Over four years, I've never seen any girl transform into such a confident, mature, composed player as Bailey."

What began as shyness toward the physicality of the game turned into a workmanlike mentality. She became the first player in Jefferson's 12 years coaching to play varsity four seasons. Gee averaged more than 20 points and seven rebounds her junior and senior seasons.

In her senior season Gee matured into a leader. She led the Jaguars to a 26-0 record and a Class 4A state championship. It was a Gee that was almost unrecognizable from those first practices her freshman season.

An appearance in the Via Christi Pro Tennis Classic final was slipping away from Christina McHale and Sloane Stephens on Friday evening at the Coleman Tennis Complex.

It wasn't actually slipping away -- they were giving it away. So with Amanda McDowell and Kristi Miller two points from a come-from-behind victory, McHale announced enough was enough.

She shouted "let's go!" after drilling a cross-court winner that swung the momentum of the match. Down 8-6 in the third set, McHale and Stephens reeled off four consecutive points and advanced to the final with a 6-4, 6-7 (4-6), 10-8 win over McDowell and Miller.

The final is set for noon today with McHale and Stephens facing Dominika Dieskova and Ana-Clara Duarte.

"We had it, but we were giving it away," McHale said. "Our strategy was to try and control the net and not get into too many rallies. We were doing good when we were doing that. But then we went away from it."

Goddard infielder Logan Watkins will sign with the Chicago Cubs today, his father said Thursday.

Watkins, selected in the 21st round of this month's major-league draft, had planned to play baseball for Wichita State. He decided Wednesday that Chicago's offer of a $500,000 bonus and $100,000 for college was too good to pass up.

"It's real tough on him," Brian Watkins said. "He feels like he's let a lot of people down who have been good to him."

Watkins said his son turned down offers of $300,000 and $430,000 and held firm to his demand of $500,000.

"Even if they had gone to $490,000, we would have said 'no,' " he said. "It takes a lot of money to turn down a program like Wichita State. We never thought they would get there."

Before the 1963 football opener, Ray Patterson didn't own a nickname or a prominent role in the University of Wichita's offensive backfield.

That changed quickly during a 33-13 win at Arizona State. Patterson turned into an unlikely hero in an unlikely win that propelled the Shockers to a 7-2 record and a share of the Missouri Valley Conference title.

Around 42 coaches and players from that team are expected to visit this weekend for their 45th reunion. "Wheels" Patterson, now superintendent of schools for Pawnee Heights and Hanston, will be one of them.

Coaches gave him that nickname after he scored on a 72-yard touchdown pass against the Sun Devils. Patterson motored into the end zone on a hot September night in Tempe despite the presence of sprinter Henry Carr in the defensive backfield. A year later, Carr won two gold medals in the 1964 Olympics, one in the 200-meter dash and one anchoring the 400 relay.

"He was chasing me," Patterson said. "Because of fear, I outran him."

WU 33, Arizona State 13

Boston College 22, WU 16

WU 26, Hardin-Simmons 12

WU 47, Louisville 14

North Texas State 7, WU 3

Two Wichita natives teed off in a sudden death playoff in the U.S. Senior Open Championship sectional qualifier on Friday at Willowbend Country Club.

Rod Nuckolls parred the second playoff hole to defeat Bill Maness and earn a spot in next month's U.S. Senior Open at Broadmoor Golf Course in Colorado Springs.

After Maness' drive went down the middle of the fairway on the second playoff hole, Nuckolls' tee shot found the rough. With the ball sitting well above his stance, Nuckolls took what appeared to be more of a baseball-type swing and landed the ball within feet of the pin.

"I had to line up the right amount to the right. I guessed right, and the ball just went straight at the hole," Nuckolls said.

The approach shot by Maness took a hard bounce off the back of the green. He chipped his ball past the hole and missed his putt, leaving Nuckolls with two putts to win.

Coaches All-State

Class 4A

First Team, Pitchers--Nikki Armagost, Andover Central; Starr McLeod, Girard; Karley Schneizer, Andale. C--Kayla Sears, Augusta; Jamie Voigts, Ottawa. IF--Alysha Poteat, Girard; Kaitlin Martin, Andale; Erin Carney, Andale; Kristin Harris, Paola. OF--Natalie Nelson, Paola; Mackenzie Salzman, Eudora; Lauren Himpel, Tonganoxie. Utility--Kylee Mader, Paola.

Second Team

P--Hallie Ray, Ottawa; Katie Logan, Clay Center; Erin Schmidt, Haven. C--Evan Folks, Eudora; Chelsea Eck, Andale. IF--Lindsay Doyle, Haven; Ariel Vinze, Girard; Alex Zordel, Baldwin; Rachael Aguirre, Augusta. OF--Heather Goetz, Pratt; Kelsee Farmer, Augusta. Utility--Lindsey Himpel, Tonganoxie.

In Tyler Davis' first race at 81 Speedway two years ago, he flipped his car.

"His mom said he'd never get back in another race car in his life," said Dave Davis, Tyler's dad. "He was sore the next couple days after that; but other than that, it was a very easy rollover. It didn't even scare him."

Actually, it made Tyler Davis want to race even more.

"It's an addiction, I guess," said Davis, 18, who graduated from Campus High last month.

Davis clinched the midseason title in the AAA Modified division at 81 Speedway last week, leading defending series champion Bill Stahl by seven points. Davis also won the midseason title at Hutchinson Raceway.

When: 1 p.m. today

Where: Museum of World Treasures, 835 E. First Street

Today's inductees

Angela Buckner -- Kapaun Mount Carmel grad is fourth in City League girls basketball scoring (1,472) and won three state shot put titles. At Wichita State (2000-04), she was one of five Missouri Valley players to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds.

Natasha Fife -- Won five Kansas Women's Amateur golf titles and seven Kansas Senior Women's championships. Was also women's athletic director at Wichita State for 13 years.

Wichita used a two-run sixth inning to defeat the Sioux City Explorers 4-2 at Sioux City on Friday.

The Wingnuts scored one run in the first inning on an RBI single by Stephen Pearson. After a 30-minute rain delay, the Wingnuts scored two runs in the sixth on an RBI triple by Michael Thompson and on a grounder by Chris Colton that was bobbled at third by Juan Camacho, followed by a bad throw by Camacho, giving Wichita a 3-0 lead.

Wichita got an insurance run on an RBI single by Blake Gailen in the top of the ninth.

• Goddard's Logan Watkins signed with the Chicago Cubs on Friday. Watkins, a 21st-round draft pick, received a $500,000 bonus plus $100,000 for college. He will go to the team's spring training site in Mesa, Ariz., later this month, and is expected to begin his pro career at Class A Boise. Watkins had planned to play at Wichita State.

• Andy Sawyers, a former assistant at Nebraska and Texas A&M, has been hired at Kansas State's hitting coach.

At Garvey Aquatic Center

Friday's Results

Girls, 10-U, 100 IM--1. Shelly Drozda, CUDA, 2:48.99; 2. Haley Hynes, KCAB, 2:57.09; 3. Paige Schmidt, MSC, 3:09.99. 11-12, 200 IM--1. Sara Nazari, WAS, 2:37.74; 2. Heather Cistola, LAW, 2:40.00; 3. Phoebe Grabill, LAW, 2:41.17. 400 Free--1. Sara Nazari, WAS, 4:50.58; 2. Heather Cistola, LAW, 4:51.52; 3. Shannon Brouk, LAW, 5:00.36. 13-14, 50 Free--1. Chesley Kilgore, WSC, 28.78; 2. Maggie Varuska, LOVE, 28.9q1; 3. Katt Sickle, KCB, 29.13. 400 IM--1. Katt Sickle, KCB, 5:21.28; 3. Mackenna Rife, KCB, 5:25.91; 3. Amy Davis, KCB, 5:27.48. Senior, 800 Free--1. Rebecca Swank, WSC, 9:20.41; 2. Monica Dudley, KCB, 9:33.08; 3. Maddie Fogel, KCB, 9:34.64. 50 Free--1. Patricia Nelson, LOVE, 27.50; 2. Shannon Vreland, KCB, 27.64; 3. Brooke Brull, KCB, 28.50. 400 IM--1. Jamie Bruce, WSC, 5:06.00; 2. Brooke Brull, KCB, 5:11.88; 3. Rebecca Swank, WSC, 5:16.17. Boys, 10-U, 200 IM--1. Gavin Smith, WSC, 3:02.59; 2. P.J. Musser, KCB, 3:03.17; 3. Preston Barley, WAS, 3:08.61. 11-12, 200 IM--1. Nate Pirner, WSC, 2:41.58; 2. Jesse Hollingsworth, WAS, 2:48.31; 3. Kyle Cullinan, WSC, 2:48.51. 400 Free--1. Ben Koeller, KCB, 4:58.60; 2. Kyle Cullinan, WSC, 4:59.22; 3. Nate Pirner, WSC, 5:00.26. 13-14, 50 Free--1. Jake Spitz, WSC, 26.89; 2. Chris Hearl, KCB, 27.70; 3. Nick Hatanaka, LOVE, 27.79. 400 IM--1. Davis Staley, LOVE, 5:00.33; 2. Ty Fowler, TST, 5:00.34; 3. Nick Hatanaka, LOVE, 5:11.94. Senior, 800 Free--1. Jacob Ores, LOVE, 8:55.48; 2. Ty Fowler, TST, 9:06.68; 3. Ryan Sellers, WSC, 9:10.34. 50 Free--1. Matthew Margritier, KCB, 25.53; 2. Mick White, LAW, 25.56; 3. Kevin Webster, KCB, 25.56. 400 IM--1. Kevin Webster, KCB, 4:44.70; 2. Austin Acheson, KCB, 4:45.36; 3. Jason King, TST, 4:52.51.

Key: ARK=Ark City Manta Rays, CUDA-CO=Broomfield, Colo., Barracudas, EAC=Emporia Aquatic Club, FAST-NT=Fort Worth Area Swim Team, HYSC=Hutchinson Y Swim Club, KCB- =Kansas City Blazers, KING-NE=Kingfish Swimming, LAW=Lawrence Aquahawks, LOVE-CO=Loveland, Colo., Swim Club, MM=Manhattan Marlins, MSC=McPherson Swim Club, NWSC=Newton Swim Club, PSST-OK=Ponca City, Okla. Sailfish Swim Club, SAC =Salina Aquatics Club, TD=Team Dolphins, TST=KC Tsunami Swim Team, UN-MV-MV=Unattached Missouri Valley, UN-MV=Unattached, UN-OK=Unattached Oklahoma, WAS=Wichita Aqua Shocks, WNYN=Wichita Northwest YMCA Neptunes, WSC=Wichita Swim Club, WIN=Winfield Swim Club, BWST =YMCA Blue Wave.

They're still counting casualties back home, and so when Zheng Jie completed the biggest victory of her tennis career Friday at Wimbledon, she resisted any temptation to leap or squeal or pump her fist or collapse to the grass in glee.

Instead she merely cracked a slight smile, hoping her family, friends and fans in China could do the same.

The 133rd-ranked Zheng beat new No. 1 Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 6-4. It was the latest in a series of first-week upsets, and one easy to applaud because Zheng is a native of Chengdu, the capital of earthquake-stricken Sichuan province.

"Of course I hope to make people happy with my win," Zheng said. "I want more people to have their homes, be fine and happy."

Zheng's third-round victory, her first against a top-10 player, meant the earliest exit by a top-ranked woman at Wimbledon since Martina Hingis lost in the first round in 2001.

Jimmy Smits has participated in PBS's Fourth of July concert before, but he will host for the first time on Friday.

Smits, whose work includes roles on "The West Wing" and "NYPD Blue," said being present on the Mall for the annual event "takes your breath away."

"You have all the monuments, and the orchestra, you've got cannon batteries and fireworks, and it gives you goose bumps," he said.

This year's concert includes appearances by iconic rocker Jerry Lee Lewis, 2006 "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks, pop band Huey Lewis and the News, Broadway performer Brian Stokes Mitchell and classical singers Hayley Westenra, Harolyn Blackwell and Vittorio Grigolo, as well as the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Erich Kunzel.

The show will include a tribute to the Olympics, taking place Aug. 8-24. Kunzel is scheduled to conduct the music at the opening ceremonies in Beijing, "so this was his idea," said executive producer Jerry Colbert. "We're hoping to have some of the Olympians (onstage) as we salute Team USA and play the John Williams Olympic theme."

The 2007-08 television season is over, and what a shortened, strange season it was. With various stops and starts because of the writers' strike, it was hard to follow what was going on. Were you paying attention? Take our quiz to find out.

Correct answers are worth one point.

1. Where does Sam (Bret Harrison) work on "Reaper"?

a. Work Bench

b. Buy More

Some players are so afraid of getting bluffed out of a pot that they will call you on every street. Against these calling stations, you will have to show down the best hand.

So, if you're going to pick a spot to bluff, you need to pick an opponent who is capable of laying down a hand, as top pro Andrew Black did at the World Poker Tour's $15,000-buy-in Doyle Brunson World Poker Classic at Las Vegas' Bellagio in 2007.

With blinds at $200-$400, a player in late position made it $1,200 to go. Action folded to Black, who was on the button with the 2-4 of diamonds, not a hand you want to call a raise with. But Black had position and a read on his opponent.

"He was a guy who's a very, very solid player and had shown the capacity to fold if a player raised or reraised him on the flop," said Black, who finished seventh in the 2006 World Series of Poker main event. "I made it $3,500."

Black was hoping to take the pot right there, but his opponent called. Two-handed, they took a flop of A-3-6, two clubs. The initial raiser checked. Black bet $5,000. His opponent check-raised to $10,000.