It may seem but odd, but if UCLA continues its season turnaround, it might have its loss in Oregon to thank for it.
Senior guard Norman Powell challenged his teammates’ commitment and energy, and implored them to fight harder following an embarrassing defensive performance.
That locker room sit-down with tempers raised in turn increased the Bruins’ intensity on the court and total in the win column.
“They came out more motivated in last week’s practice and it was really good for us,” said Powell, who was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for his efforts against Utah and Colorado. “We came out with a lot more motivation, a lot more energy on defense. We were just energized as a whole.”
UCLA had little to cheer about following its dismantling at the hands of Kentucky, a game coach Steve Alford said hit the team hard and sunk his players’ confidence.
The Bruins’ pace slowed, players pressed and the ball didn’t move during UCLA’s five-game losing streak, a stretch in which Alford said individual players were trying to do everything on their own.
While individual pieces tried to do everything, the team did nothing as the Bruins’ defense appeared to be largely absent in the loss to the Ducks.
Enter Powell’s sit-down talk, a spirited week of practice and a surprising boost in confidence as the Bruins recommitted to being a team.
“I think that’s what we’ve seen in the last seven, eight days with our guys, kind of the wealth of good things of a team and that’s relaxed them a bit more,” Alford said. “Better things are going to happen to you if you’re really more worried about the success of your teammates. Once you focus on that you become a little bit more free.”
That was apparent in UCLA’s two most recent games as the team was able to feed the ball to sophomore guard Bryce Alford on off-ball screens thanks to the more-inspired play of sophomore guard Isaac Hamilton.
Hamilton connected on just 12 of his 52 shot in the Bruins’ six-game stretch prior to their upset over the Utes.
In the two games following the loss to the Oregon, Hamilton went a combined 8-for-18 and limited talented Colorado guard Askia Booker to just two points in the first half of UCLA’s Jan. 31 win.
“Isaac, what he has done in the last week and a half has been tremendous, especially on the defensive end. Isaac is building confidence not just through making shots,” Alford said. “That gives us a lot of freedom … it frees all the guys up and that’s having the confidence in one another.”
Back on Track
Junior forward/center Tony Parker returned to the court for UCLA over the weekend after missing the team’s trip to Oregon with back spasms.
“I tell people I did it playing water polo, but I did it playing basketball,” Parker said. “I went to set a screen and rolled, nobody was on the floor and I just couldn’t move. If you ask (Kevon Looney) he’d do the best impression ever, he thought it was hilarious.”
But Parker’s rehab over the last two weeks was no laughing matter. Following Parker’s first game back – UCLA’s 69-59 upset over then-No. 11 Utah – Alford said that few players had worked harder to return to the floor.
Parker said he was in the training room from 6 a.m to 6 p.m. the Monday after sustaining the injury, and three hours each day for the rest of the week.
“I met every coach in every other sport, that’s how long I was in the training room,” Parker said. “I was just in there walking around doing hip slots because I couldn’t stand up straight.”