The Rock Chalkboard

Isaiah Moss nearing return, can add 'different dimension' to KU
Isaiah Moss could have played on Tuesday against Duke. He warmed up before the game, and according to KU coach Bill Self on Thursday, Moss was either cleared to play — or the closest thing to that.

Move bringing more eyes to 2021 QB Ari Patu
"The transition has been great," said Patu. "We came down in March and the team was really welcoming so that made the whole thing easier getting into the flow. Being here at Folsom and this offense, it's been fun for sure. I've been getting to experience a lot of different offenses and now experience a new type of offense."

KU football's Hakeem Adeniji invited to 2020 senior bowl
Hakeem Adeniji, KU football's starting left tackle, has been invited to the 2020 Senior Bowl, a showcase for athletes as they prepare for the NFL Draft. The news was revealed to Adeniji by KU coach Les Miles. The moment can be seen in a video posted to Miles' Twitter, as the KU coach called Adeniji into his office and told him he has a letter that says "Senior Bowl."

What Bill Self said about facing UNC Greensboro for AFH opener
Yeah, they're good. Oh yeah, they're good, they're good. They did lose their leading scorer from last year. He was a terrific player," Self said of UNC Greensboro, who the Jayhawks will face at 8 p.m. CT on Friday. "But watching tape, [I'm] very impressed with Wes [Miller's] bunch. They switched defenses. They're going to press the whole game to slow people down and then also look to steal as well."

Film room: Ochai Agbaji was better than you thought vs. Duke
If there was a single positive to take from Agbaji’s performance, it would be his 3-point shooting. In his freshman year, Agbaji shot the 3-ball at a 41.9 percent clip over his first 10 games. But in the back half of his freshman year, Agbaji shot 22.7 percent from 3.

Freshmen propel KU women's basketball to 84-72 win over Indiana State | KUsports.com
“Shooting the ball was something that I’m very encouraged, if not yelled at, to do,” Kersgieter said. “So I did it, and it worked.”

Bits o Chalk

Rick Pitino hired as Greece's national team coach
Rick Pitino is taking over as Greek national team coach as it looks to qualify for the 2020 Olympics, he confirmed via Twitter on Friday.

Kemba Walker 'emotional' after rousing reception in Charlotte return
"It was special," Walker said after scoring 14 points in a 108-87 Boston Celtics victory. "It was special. Just to be back here and the amount of love I've been getting throughout this day, leading up to this day, it's been a lot of love and the video just topped it off. It's special and it definitely obviously made me really emotional.

Antonio Brown backtracks after lashing out at NFL, now says he's 'determined' to play
A week before he is scheduled to meet with NFL investigators, free-agent wide receiver Antonio Brown backtracked Thursday afternoon after a profanity-filled tweet earlier in the day that said he wants the league to "clear my name" and reiterated that he'll "never play" again.

Tiger Woods names himself, three others to Presidents Cup team
"The players, they wanted me to play in the event,'' Woods said during a news conference from his restaurant in Jupiter, Florida. "It's going to be difficult, but I also have three amazing assistants in Fred [Couples], Stricks [Steve Stricker] and Zach [Johnson]. So that helps a lot. Two guys who have won Presidents Cups [as captains] and Zach who will be a future captain. Three great minds to help me when I'm playing.

Kawhi Leonard dominates in 4th, 'shocked' NBA detailed his injury
After scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter for the second time this season, Kawhi Leonard said he would continue to follow his load management to maintain his health.

Eraser Dust

US election 2020: Michael Bloomberg mulls presidential bid - BBC News
The ex-New York City mayor is concerned the current field of candidates is not good enough to beat Donald Trump in the 2020 election, his adviser says.

Bigfork boy finds his voice thanks to unique speech therapy
A young Bigfork boy who was unable to speak in full sentences for years has found his voice through unique speech class in the Flathead Valley.

California man convicted for trafficking meth in Kalispell area
A jury has found a California man guilty on methamphetamine trafficking crimes after he was accused of bringing the drug to the Kalispell area for distribution, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

NASA just opened an untouched Moon rock sample - CNN
"Opening these samples now will enable new scientific discoveries about the Moon and will allow a new generation of scientists to refine their techniques to better study future samples returned by Artemis astronauts," said Francis McCubbin, NASA's astromaterials curator. "Our scientific technologies have vastly improved in the past 50 years and scientists have an opportunity to analyze these samples in ways not previously possible."

Texas death row inmate Rodney Reed: The outcry from people seeking to stop Rodney Reed's execution is growing. The support has 'bolstered him,' his attorney says - CNN
The outcry is growing from an army of supporters, including celebrities, clergy and state lawmakers, trying to stop the execution of Texas death row inmate Rodney Reed, who is set to die in less than two weeks.