Thursday, November 19, 1998
Youthful team players get hyped for season
M. HOOPS: Fresh talent, high optimism, guidance drive class of
top recruits
By AJ Cadman
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
This is finally his team. There is no early season controversy.
His team is ranked 12th in the ESPN/USA Today Preseason poll. They
are potent and explosive. The average age of his squad is less than
20 years old.
UCLA head coach Steve Lavin enters his third season in Westwood
with a team almost entirely of his own design. With 11
underclassmen, the 1998-99 Bruins have a fresh new look that should
endure the ills of inexperience.
The Bruins must try to replace the postseason experience that
Toby Bailey, J.R. Henderson and Kris Johnson brought to the table.
To match the combined four year record of 103-26, three consecutive
Pac-10 titles (1995-97) and the 1995 NCAA Championship which were
shared by the three departed seniors, Lavin’s young crew will have
a strenuous climb ahead of them.
With the No. 1 rated recruiting class in the nation for 1998,
according to the Sporting News and PrepStar magazine, the Bruins
have high hopes and thoughts of reloading rather then rebuilding.
Just like last year’s highly prized class, which lived up to
expectations, this year’s talented team has its sights on the
ultimate prize in March once again.
"As a coaching staff, we understand the importance of
recruiting, so we work 24 hours, seven days a week to get the best
players," said Lavin.
Freshman center Dan Gadzuric (6-foot-10, 245 pounds) provides a
formidable roadblock for opposing centers throughout the Pac-10
Conference and the nation. Born and raised in Holland, Gadzuric
previously attended Governor Dummer Academy in Massachusetts. Rated
the No. 1 high school center in the nation by PrepStar magazine,
Gadzuric was a 1998 McDonald’s All-American and first-team
All-American in Parade and Slam magazines. During his senior
season, Gadzuric averaged 21 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocked
shots per game. His size and strength will provide a new look to
the frontcourt in sharp contrast to last season that featured
outstanding play from an undersized center, J.R. Henderson
(6-foot-8).
Originally from Guadeloupe, an island located in the West
Indies, fellow freshman center Jerome Moiso (6-foot-10, 230 pounds)
was rated the No. 8 U.S. prep prospect and the top shot blocker in
the nation. He averaged 18.9 points and 10 rebounds per game during
his senior campaign at Milford Academy in Connecticut, after
graduating from the INSEP school in Paris, France.
These two effectively make a strong twin tower combination.
Complementing Gadzuric’s strong physical presence, Moiso has quick
hands and mobility on defense down low in the key. He has a unique
awareness of the basket when posting up against an opponent and an
impressive vertical leap.
Freshman forward JaRon Rush (6-foot-6, 210 pounds) was prepped
at the Pembroke School in Kansas City, Mo. He was a 1998 McDonald’s
and Parade All-American and was rated the No. 1 wing forward by
PrepStar magazine. A finalist for the Naismith Prep Player of the
Year award, Rush averaged 32 points, 13.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and
four steals per game during his senior season. His awareness of the
ball and pure athletic ability provides the Bruins with a young
scorer who is willing to take the ball to the basket hard and
often.
Ray Young (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) comes to UCLA from Bay Area
powerhouse St. Joseph’s Notre Dame in Alameda, Calif. The third of
three 1998 McDonald’s All Americans on this year’s squad, Young
hails from the same school as fellow guard and Phoenix Sun Jason
Kidd. He was a second-team Parade magazine All-American and
Gatorade’s 1998 California High School Player of the Year, and is a
finalist to make the US Junior World Championship team. He averaged
15.0 points, four assists and four steals per game during his final
year at St. Joseph’s. His suffocating defense and perimeter
shooting should complement the inside game UCLA hopes to utilize
throughout the season.
Forward Matt Barnes (6-7, 229) was considered by many to be one
of California’s top two-sport high school athletes last year, in
basketball and football. He was one of the state’s top touchdown
reception leaders as a tight end. But his choice to play basketball
for the Bruins gives UCLA a Top 50 national performer and
first-team Best in the West player. Averaging 26.5 points, 12.5
rebounds, 5.8 blocks and 5.5 assists last season, Barnes is a
willing rebounder with exceptional three-point shooter to the
Bruin’s lethal offensive lineup.
"Recruiting is as important as ever," said Lavin. "As Coach
Wooden always reminds me, he’s yet to see a jockey cross the finish
line with the horse on his shoulders – his way of reminding me that
you better keep recruiting great players."
Another new face on this year’s squad is sophomore guard Ryan
"Moose" Bailey (6-foot-3, 200 pounds). Bailey sat out last season
as a redshirt and learned the Bruin system after transferring from
Penn State University. Bailey should make an immediate impact in
one of the top backcourts in the nation. The younger brother of
UCLA alum and Phoenix Sun draftee Toby Bailey, Ryan averaged 8.4
points, four rebounds and 4.2 steals per game in his only season as
a Nittany Lion.
"We have a very young team – 13 underclassmen – and we have the
luxury of having some depth and size this season to wear teams
down," said Lavin. "Our coaching staff is well aware that we do
have to be patient because of our youth".
Even with the arrival of the class of 1998, the returning Bruin
squad is just as talented and includes the potent class of
1997.
Much of the increased optimism comes from sophomore guard Baron
Davis. Davis (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) garnered many accolades last
season, and there is no reason to doubt his contributions this
year. A first team Basketball Times Freshman All-American and
Pac-10 Freshman Player of the Year in 1998, his dunk late in the
first half of UCLA’s second round NCAA tournament victory over the
Tractor-powered Michigan Wolverines gave the Bruins enough momentum
to reach the "Sweet 16" last season. He suffered a torn anterior
cruciate ligament on landing his inspiring dunk, and was absent in
the Bruins’ subsequent loss to eventual national champion
Kentucky.
Davis scored an average of 11.7 points and four rebounds, five
assists, and 2.4 steals per game last year. He is an explosive
player with good ball control, excellent floor awareness, clutch
shooting skills and a knack for bringing showtime to Pauley
Pavilion, and should make this season very exciting for all UCLA
fans.
"Baron has been cleared for practice," said Lavin. "But, he
still will not be in full contact drills or scrimmages."
The team would be far from complete without the return of Davis’
partner in crime: sophomore guard Earl Watson (6-foot, 183 pounds).
The Kansas City native was the only player to start every game last
season, tying the school record of 33 starts in a single season. He
was selected to the 1998 Pac-10 Conference All-Freshman team. The
second-leading returning scorer (5.8) and rebounder (3.2), "E.J."
is a clutch shooter with an exceptional first step in penetration
toward the basket. He also has a passing mentality that will allow
him to accumulate double digits in the assist category, and
probably double-doubles throughout the season.
"We are getting used to each other. This is a real positive
team," said Watson. "No matter what we do, we dig deep and keep
playing."
Sophomore forward Travis Reed (6-foot-7, 237) was instrumental
in UCLA’s NCAA Tournament run last season. Reed averaged four
points, 2.4 rebounds, and 12.1 minutes in 27 games last season. His
11 points and three rebounds, as well as sacrificing his body in
defending Robert "Tractor" Traylor, were key in the victory over
Michigan. He followed with another outstanding performance of seven
points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in the Kentucky
loss.
As a fellow sophomore, guard Rico Hines (6-4, 213) knifed his
way into 23 games last season amidst the plethora of talent that
UCLA showcased. Averaging 10.6 minutes, 1.9 points and 1.5 rebounds
per game last season, Hines’ production and playing time was up
during the final 10 contests of the season. He recorded nine
collegiate highs in points versus California and six rebounds
against Southern California.
Guard Billy Knight (6-foot-5, 196 pounds), a Los Angeles native
from Westchester High School, is a pure outside shooter who
appeared in 24 games and averaged six minutes per game last season.
The sophomore also averaged 2.8 points and 0.9 rebounds per game
and shot 38.7 percent (12-31) from beyond the arc. Knight scored a
season-high 15 points, and was three for six from three-point range
in 26 minutes versus Cal State Fullerton.
Senior guard Brandon Loyd (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) is the final
link to the illustrious 1995 NCAA Championship team. His consistent
three-point shooting, experience and depth at the guard position
will prove to be a valuable asset should the Bruins wish to advance
deep into the NCAA Tournament this year.
Sophomore guard/forward Todd Ramasar (6-foot-5, 209 pounds)
should see increased playing time this season until Baron Davis
returns to the active lineup.
Ramasar, a Corona, Calif. native, hopes to take some pressure
off of Watson’s shoulders. His perimeter shooting will cause UCLA
opponents defensive headaches.
Junior forward Sean Farnham (6-foot-5, 213 pounds) provides
experience and depth as well as knowledge of the Bruin system, to
pass on to the freshmen. He averaged 1.1 rebounds per game last
season as a force in the low post.
The Bruins open the regular season against Santa Clara, whom
UCLA fell to in 1995 in the first game of the Maui Classic. UCLA
will then travel to the Puerto Rico Shootout, which features the
Terrapins of Maryland and a potential rematch against Kentucky.
With tough nonconference matches against the Running Rebels of UNLV
(Dec. 12), at the Cardinals of Louisville (Jan. 23) and hosting the
Syracuse Orangemen (Feb. 21), the Bruins hope to adequately prepare
for a difficult Pac-10 conference this year.
With games against rivals Arizona, Stanford and Washington
looming large on the schedule, the Bruins are aware of the daunting
task ahead of them, and are ready to make themselves a part of UCLA
history.
"I think our conference is the strongest conference in America,"
Lavin said "So all of our conference games will be great report
cards or a great way to measure how we are as a basketball
team."
Seventy-nine years of Bruin men’s basketball. Eleven National
Championships. Seven Basketball Hall of Fame Members. Fifty
consecutive winning seasons. One team. One coach. The legacy is now
Lavin’s to continue.BAHMAN FARAHDEL/Daily Bruin
Earl Watson takes a shot in a game against the California
Allstars.
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