KU basketball falls to Bahamas National Team (with 2 NBA stars) in Puerto Rico finale

Former No. 1 NBA Draft pick Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns worked up a sweat while taking part in a strenuous hourlong individual workout prior to his Bahamian National Team’s 87-81 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks on Monday at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum.

The 7-footer, who played one year at Arizona prior to entering the 2018 Draft, elected to not play in the exhibition game. Instead, wearing a purple and blue shirt and matching shorts and sunglasses, he had one of the best seats in the house for the second game between the teams in three days.

KU defeated Team Bahamas on Saturday 92-87.

Ayton watched with interest from the bench as fellow NBA players Eric Gordon and Buddy Hield combined for 16 points the first half (Gordon 9, Hield 7) and 31 points for the game.

Hield, who went head to head with Kevin McCullar in the last meeting, finished with 19 points and Gordon had 12. Both played three quarters, then sat out the final stanza.

More impressive actually was the performance of KU redshirt-junior guard Dajuan Harris, who had 14 points at the half and 23 for the game. He hit three 3s.

Harris’ offense was in stark contrast to the first two games of the exhibition series in Puerto Rico. He had four points the first two games on 1-of-12 shooting, even as he set the table for a blowout win in the Jayhawks’ first game (vs. Puerto Rico Select) at the event.

Ayton had to be impressed with the KU floor general from Columbia, Missouri. Early on he stole the ball from Gordon and drove the length of the court for a layup. He also stole the ball from Hield and finished on the other end with a layup. Harris cashed two 3s on five tries in the initial half.

McCullar scored 19 points, Hunter Dickinson 16 and Nick Timberlake 13 for the Jayhawks. Elmarko Jackson finished with seven points and KJ Adams three. The lob dunk, which was such a weapon for KU Saturday, was nonexistent Monday.

Pregame flavor

Hield of the Indiana Pacers, also on the court an hour before the exhibition game, fired up 3-pointer after 3-pointer, making most of them.

Gordon of the Suns walked through an arena tunnel about 45 minutes before the game, mainly working on his ball-handling. He went through warmups and appeared eager to play in the game.

Highlight reel plays

KJ Adams had a fierce rejection of a Kentwan Smith layup try in the second quarter. Smith is a 6-8 forward who attended Louisiana Lafayette and Stetson. …

Hunter Dickinson who was quiet the first half with six points as KU trailed by six at halftime, followed a Nick Timberlake miss with a resounding dunk. He also had a spin move prior to a 6-foot jump shot. Swish. …

Hield, who hit four threes in the third quarter, dribbled in the corner, appeared to lose the ball, regathered and calmly hit a 3. He closed the third quarter by drilling a 3 while closely guarded by McCullar.

Starting lineup

KU coach Bill Self implemented his third starting lineup in three games. On Monday, freshman guard Elmarko Jackson was called on to start with Adams, Harris, McCullar and Dickinson. Those other four players started all three games.

Timberlake started Game One of the Puerto Rico trip, a 106-71 KU victory. Morris, a standout performer before being shut down by injury, started Game Two, a 92-87 victory over Bahamian National Team.

Arterio Morris misses game

KU sophomore guard Arterio Morris did not suit up for the game. He was held out as a precautionary measure because of a bone bruise on his right knee suffered in Saturday’s win over the Bahamian National Team.

Morris will continue to receive treatment and according to Self should be ready to go by the time first semester of the 2023-24 school year begins on Aug. 21.

Morris, a sophomore transfer guard from Texas, averaged 13.5 points in the two games played on 55% shooting. He hit 3 of 8 3s for 37.5%. Morris also averaged 6.0 rebounds a game with seven assists, five turnovers, four steals.

The Jayhawks will have a long travel day on Tuesday, flying out of San Juan around noon and not arriving in Lawrence until late at night Tuesday. They are flying commercial this trip.