Only two weeks ago, coach Ben Howland was talking about how he needed to get his bench players more minutes.
Now it might be tough just to get them off the court.
On Saturday, the improvement of the Bruins’ bench players ““ chiefly the freshmen trio of Drew Gordon, Jerime Anderson and Malcolm Lee ““ was apparent early and often. Gordon, Anderson and Lee all played at least 13 minutes in the blowout, keeping the Cardinal at arm’s length and exhibiting why Howland has grown increasingly confident in them over the past weeks.
“Guys come in off the bench and keep the level of play and even raise the level of play,” Howland said. “You always take time when you got a lot of new guys to gel together and I feel like we’re doing that right now.”
Gordon, Anderson and Lee combined for 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists while seeing their most single-game conference action yet. With only 10 regular season games remaining, the freshmen have shown they’re providing much more than just a chance for the starters to rest.
“In the past, we were afraid that the freshmen, when they got in the game, there would be a drop-off,” senior forward Alfred Aboya said. “Now we don’t even worry about it because we know we’re going to get the same pressure, same intensity and the same passion.”
Junior forward James Keefe and junior guard Mike Roll have also been crucial coming off the bench, but the importance of the development of the freshmen is not lost on anyone.
“We know that we won’t go anywhere if they don’t play at their tops,” Aboya said.
Part of that mentality for the seniors is making sure the younger players know what’s expected of them on a day-to-day basis. This lesson could not have been clearer late in Saturday’s game. With UCLA up by about 25 and the game essentially decided, senior point guard Darren Collison went for a steal, sending the ball skipping to the sidelines. Without hesitating due to the lopsided score or concern for his body, Collison hit the floor in an attempt to come up with the loose ball. He got to his feet with Howland standing beside him giving him a round of applause.
“That’s a leader and that’s a champion,” freshman guard Jrue Holiday said. “He wants every ball. He wants to score every time. That’s Darren. When we see that from him, it really gives us energy to do it just like him.”
The improved play of the bench ““ whether it’s Keefe’s rebounds, Roll’s outside shot or Gordon’s alley-oop slams ““ has become an important weapon for the Bruins. The starters have no need to hold back, as they know the quality of players waiting in the wings.
“Your job when you’re on the court is to play as hard as you can possibly play,” Aboya said. “You know that once you get your breather, the person who replaces you will produce the same effort and the same result.”
’64, ’65 CHAMPIONS HONORED: Members of UCLA’s national champion 1964 and 1965 basketball teams were introduced at halftime of Saturday’s game, as was their legendary former coach John Wooden. Wooden, who received the loudest ovation of anyone introduced, gave a short speech in which he reflected on his time coaching and showed off his sense of humor.
“I told the team after the game, it brings a lot of pride for me to have the first championship team here today being honored and seeing our players represent that heritage the way they did,” Howland said. “To me that’s really, really special.”
COLLISON SNAPS COLD STREAK: With a trey six minutes into the second half, Collison broke a five-game streak in which he was 0-13 from three-point range.
“I knew about it, but part of being a good player is not worrying about those things,” Collison said. “I’m worried about winning ballgames.”
DRIBBLERS: Howland dropped a nonchalant “Go Steelers” during the post-game press conference, in reference to Sunday’s Super Bowl. He coached at Pittsburgh from 1999 to 2003. Aboya said he is rooting for the Cardinals who knocked off the Eagles, his favorite team. … Both teams’ coaching staffs wore white sneakers in respect to Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Awareness Weekend.