Back in 2001, my high school buddy Azman and I both chose to
attend basketball schools.
UCLA and Arizona were permanently in the top 25, boasted
impressive rosters of NBA alumni and had each won a championship in
the past six years.
Thus, I thought we had the makings of a pretty good rivalry.
Every year, it would be me vs. Azman (who, as you would expect, had
interesting nicknames in high school) for the Pac-10 championship.
The winner would own bragging rights and the privilege of making
those smug, annoying calls asking, “So, what did you think of
that game?”
Needless to say, that hasn’t been the case. Arizona has
remained a national powerhouse while UCLA has barely been a Los
Angeles powerhouse.
In the seven meetings since my freshmen year, UCLA has won just
two, and the five losses have been by an average score of 99-73.
That’s pure domination.
That’s why Saturday’s 76-73 defeat is important
““ it earned UCLA respect and gave Bruin fans some as
well.
To go into the McKale Center on national television against
possibly the best team in the conference and be one crazy 26-foot
bomb from an equally crazy looking Salim Stoudamire away from
sending the game into overtime says a lot about this team.
As does the way UCLA played, or how they didn’t play
““ scared.
Do the freshmen realize they are supposed to be wide-eyed and
nervous? Aren’t the juniors and seniors haunted by two
straight embarrassing 20-plus point losses to Arizona?
The Bruins didn’t seem to think anything of this, and
played to win.
But in the end, UCLA was simply not as good as Arizona. The
Wildcats have a tradition of winning, and its players know what it
takes. The Bruins are still learning.
Yet before a team can figure out how to win, it needs to
understand how to lose admirably.
UCLA just did that.
With just under four minutes left, Arizona had just completed a
run that put them up at 68-61 and gave them all the momentum. The
Bruins made a valiant effort, but the Wildcats put their foot down
and seemingly had the game in their paws.
At a point where it would have been very easy to give up, the
Bruins fought all the way back to tie the game at 68.
Then, in the closing seconds, with UCLA down by three and
everyone in the building expecting a 3-pointer, freshman Arron
Afflalo gave the hometown fans exactly what they didn’t
want.
So what if he blatantly pushed off to create the shot? He wanted
the shot and wasn’t afraid to take it.
But the big moment was lost on the next possession when
Stoudamire performed his own heroics in Afflalo’s face. It
was a ridiculous shot (Stoudamire had a 15-footer anytime he
wanted), but at the same time, there was no doubt it was going
in.
After the game, Afflalo took full blame for allowing Stoudamire
an open 26-foot look. In Afflalo’s defense, though, you give
Stoudamire that shot every time, especially since he had repeatedly
burned the Bruins on drives and pulling up for immediate jumpers.
No defender can be expected to cover a guy that quickly 26 feet
from the basket.
At the same time, Afflalo’s willingness to raise his hand
and call himself out is important.
It’s maturity, and you have to respect that.
That’s why when the game ended, I called Azman first.
We exchanged “good games,” and he admitted that, a
couple of times during the game, he was worried.
And after three years of lopsided discussion, we ended the
conversation in the most satisfying way possible ““
“can’t wait ’til the next game.”
E-mail Peters at bpeters@media.ucla.edu.