Kansas notebook: Brewster’s Thomas Allen picks Nebraska over KU

Thomas Allen, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound high school senior combo guard from Brewster Academy (N.H.) who recently received a scholarship offer from Kansas, on Friday committed to play basketball at Nebraska.

Allen, who recently was released from a letter-of-intent at North Carolina State, chose the Cornhuskers over KU, Cincinnati, Illinois, Ohio State, Xavier, Georgetown, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee, Auburn, Texas and others.

“I talked to coach (Bill) Self today. He congratulated me and everything,” Allen said in a Facebook instant message to The Star.

Asked by the Omaha World-Herald, “how do you say no to Kansas?” Allen stated: “It wasn’t that hard. You’ve got to like the way coach (Tim) Miles and Nebraska do things. Getting to know them even more made it easier.’’

Allen, who is from Raleigh, N.C., averaged 18 points per game on 55 percent shooting (48 percent on three-pointers). He is friends with Nebraska’s Isaac Copeland and Anton Gill as well as KU’s Devonté Graham. All were part of the Garner (N.C.) Road Athletic Club youth basketball program.

Allen is also close with Nebraska assistant coach Kenya Hunter, who recruited Allen the past couple years.

“Nebraska as well as other schools that were recruiting him were recruiting him based on his elite-level shooting,” Brewster coach Jason Smith told the Lincoln Journal Star.

“I think it was Nebraska who definitely came into the picture for a need for perimeter shooting. A lot of times kids will commit to a school that has maybe the sexiest name or the biggest reputation,” Smith added. “And I think for Thomas it was an opportunity for him to have the best career and the opportunity to earn playing time very early.”

Allen is ranked No. 99 in the recruiting Class of 2017 by Rivals.com.

Moore to commit soon?

Kansas may be close to landing a commitment from Charlie Moore, a 5-11, 170-pound point guard who recently announced plans to leave Cal after one season.

Fans were buzzing Friday morning when the Chicago Tribune posted a story indicating Moore had chosen Kansas as a transfer destination over Illinois. The story was removed from the Tribune’s Website just a minute or so after it was posted, but was copied and pasted to various message boards.

Moore, who attended high school at Chicago’s Morgan Park, told Rivals.com he has serious interest in KU, but is concentrating on finishing his second-semester freshman classes right now.

Moore averaged 12.2 points per game (38.8 percent shooting) and 3.5 assists this past season at Cal. He hit 45 of 128 threes for 35.2 percent. He hit 99 of 131 free throws for 75.6 percent and dished out 120 assists to 99 turnovers.

Moore averaged 28.0 points, 7.0 assists and 5.0 steals per game his senior year at Class 3A state champion Morgan Park. He also won state as a junior. Moore was ranked No. 55 in the recruiting Class of 2016 by Rivals.com.

Kansas currently has one scholarship available in recruiting, two if senior-to-be Svi Mykhailiuk keeps his name in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Playoff talk

North Carolina has nine players competing in the 2017 NBA Playoffs to lead all NCAA schools. Texas, UCLA and Duke have eight players each in the playoffs, while KU, Kentucky and Michigan State have six. The six Jayhawks in the playoffs: Markieff Morris and Kelly Oubre (Washington), Paul Pierce (Los Angeles Clippers), Jeff Withey (Utah), Nick Collison (Oklahoma City), Wayne Selden (Memphis).

This story was originally published April 21, 2017 at 7:35 PM with the headline "Kansas notebook: Brewster’s Thomas Allen picks Nebraska over KU."