Peterson's Debut: Kansas Jayhawks in NCAA Tournament

0:00On March 21st, one of the top college basketball freshmen, Darren Peterson from Canton made his debut in the NCAA men's tournament late Friday night. The six-foot six-guard and his Kansas J-Hawks faced Cal Baptist in the first round in San Diego. Kansas earned a number four seed in the East region, while Cal Baptist got a number 13 seed. At halftime, Kansas led 38 to 18, with Peterson dropping 15 points as the only player in double figures. Peterson heated up late in the half, going six of 14 from the field, one of five from Breepoint range, and perfect on free throws at 2-4. Two, he added two steals in 19 minutes. This season, the freshman has started 21 of 22 games, averaging 19.8 points on 44% shooting, plus four. Point four rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. From his days at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy near Canton, where he averaged 31 points as a high schooler, Peterson took an unusual path. He transferred to

1:03Huntington Prep in West Virginia, and then prolific prep in California. He became the first high school athlete to land a name, image, and likeness deal with Adidas, followed by a trading card packed with fanatics. Despite missing games due to injuries this season, Peterson remains a top prospect, projected as the number one or number two pick in the 2000. 26 NBA draft. Fans and scouts have kept close watch on his rise in a stacked class. With the game airing on CBS, all eyes stay on Peterson, as Kansas pushes for a deep tournament run, building on his strong start.