Men’s basketball practice was open to the media for the
first time since around the first Bush administration, and I
wasn’t about to let that opportunity slip by.
This sort of thing doesn’t happen very often, so when I
actually walked into Pauley Pavilion, I felt as though I was
entering the Forbidden City. I half expected some sort of
ceremonious entrance, replete with dancers dressed in red silk,
burning incense, and Imperial Guardsmen. But instead, at around
3:05 on Friday afternoon, I found a door that had been left ajar,
and slipped inside.
3:06 – Well, that was easy. I take my seat somewhere in the
student-seating section, close to the floor. The team is warming
up, doing some running and lay-up drills. I get my first look at
Brian Morrison, the transfer from North Carolina. As Hubie Brown
might say, the guy is an “ath-a-lete.” He gets off the
ground quickly and has excellent hops.
3:09 – Hey, check it out, Andy Katz from ESPN is here! Oh wait,
it’s Jay Bilas. Never mind.
3:15 – The bigs are separated from the guards, with the former
working against each other on their post-up moves, while the latter
work on baseline screens, cuts to the basket, and recognizing
defensive schemes. By the way, Michael Fey looks pretty good now
that he’s lost that afro. Maybe the hair was squashing his
brain or something. Ryan Hollins looks a little out of control
every time he touches the ball, but he’s also developed some
skills in the low post.
3:28 – Freshman Trevor Ariza is a nice-looking guard. He’s
got a good jumper and good passing skills, though his handles leave
a little to be desired. What’s that you say? He’s
playing power forward? Oh hush, you can’t pull a fast one
over these eyes. Wait, you’re serious? Uh … Trevor, do you
have a 19 premiere meal plan? Because, I mean, you should use those
swipes. All of them. Tomorrow.
3:37 – Quote of the Day courtesy of coach Ben Howland. After
Ryan Walcott sets a soft screen, Howland stops practice and yells,
“I expect us to get some fouls setting screens!”
Awesome.
3:41 – OK, the Imperial Guardsmen are here. I have to move.
Apparently TV media needs exactly three-quarters of Pauley
Pavilion. Us newspaper types are getting in the way. Never mind
that a camera hadn’t come within 15 feet of me the entire
time.
3:45 – Blue shirts v. White shirts. I can’t tell who is on
which team, because I’m now viewing the action from Mt.
Kilimanjaro. Suffice to say that the defensive intensity in these
scrimmages is much higher than I expected. Either that or this team
can’t shoot very well.
4:00 – It’s official. This team is going to struggle to
score. Dijon Thompson is a smooth criminal, to be sure, but the
rest of the team doesn’t seem to be confident yet in their
offense.
4:17 – Well, at least they’re running plays. It may not be
as elegant as Steve Lavin’s Motion (read: voodoo) offense,
but they’re running plays. The curls are generally tight, the
screens are hard (I expect us to get some fouls!), and the offense
has a definite purpose. More on this later.
4:45 – Ahh, the action really begins. It’s the first unit
versus the bench, always fun to watch. Hollins slams right into the
center of Fey’s chest, picking up a slew of offensive fouls.
Frustration much? Hollins doesn’t seem to think he’s
bench material.
5:30 – Practice wraps up and the players are allowed to talk to
the media. I asked Dijon to compare the offense from last year to
the present, and he had this to say:
“We’re pretty much running the same thing as before,
but last year it was a little more freelance.” The
improvement, therefore, “comes from coach Howland. He has us
setting good screens, setting hard picks, and getting good
shots.”
I expect us to get some fouls setting screens! E-mail Colin
at cyuhl@media.ucla.edu.