After a tumultuous 11-17 season last year, UCLA fans became
petulant.
Coach Ben Howland this, free throws that, but the pangs known as
Bruin basketball can now be allayed for this upcoming season by the
play of UCLA’s incoming freshman class.
Down by eight with less than four minutes to go in a Nike Los
Angeles College Pro-City League game, UCLA freshman Arron Afflalo
defined his maturity and sheer scoring ability by hitting three
3-pointers and all four of his free throws down the stretch to push
his Sinclair’s Bruins over Entertainment Tonite, 84-81.
“You do what you have to do,” said Afflalo, who
finished with 33 points and seven rebounds. “Expect this all
year. We’re going to fight to come back.”
Though it may be early to whisper UCLA and NCAA tournament in
the same sentence, rest assured Bruin fans will no longer need to
hold their breath if the freshmen perform remotely close to what
they showcased at West LA College.Â
Afflalo, Jordan Farmar, Lorenzo Mata, Josh Shipp and walk-on
DeAndre Robinson are all incoming freshmen and each had a chance to
display why the days of disappointment for UCLA may soon
disappear.
In the early going, the most impressive Bruins were Afflalo and
Farmar.
Whether it was Afflalo’s display of one-on-one adroitness
or any one of Farmar’s nine dazzling assists, these two
freshmen have proven thus far that they are using this summer as a
platform for collegiate play.
“I thought it would be beneficial for me to get a feel for
everybody,” Farmar said. “By playing against college
players, getting acclimated to the different styles of play, I
think this will help everyone in the long run.”
“I’m going to take advantage of every opportunity I
get to gain experience,” Afflalo said. “I expect to
play a significant role next year and I want to be
prepared.”
Sinclair’s Bruins coach Cedric Jones feels that out of the
two budding stars, Afflalo has the most promise thus far.
“Arron is more mentally prepared for the challenges that
come with UCLA. He works constantly, and he keeps his nose clean
and it shows on the floor.”
Six Bruin seniors-to-be will be returning from last year’s
squad as well as three returning starters, senior Dijon Thompson,
senior Cedric Bozeman, and junior Ryan Hollins.
With the addition of an ample freshman class, lofty expectations
will be bestowed upon this season’s squad to perform at a
higher level.
“We have a good freshman class and experience coming back,
and I think that’s a good combination of both,” Farmar
said. “If we play hard and stick together, we’ll be
alright.”
UCLA fans expected big things and they got a taste of that in
the beginning of last season going 9-3.
But at the end of the season, the Bruins floundered and found
themselves seventh in the Pac-10 and out of the NCAA tournament
picture for a second straight year.
But come this season, Farmar is setting goals far loftier than
being more than a .500 team or even just competing.
“We’re all striving for a national championship and
nothing less,” he said.
UCLA senior Janou Rubin, who is also on Sinclair’s Bruins,
has gotten first hand experience playing with the freshmen.
Rubin finished with 15 points on 50 percent shooting from the
field, but the ease in which he scored is an indication of what
it’s like playing with Farmar and Afflalo.
“I love them, they spread the game up and it just becomes
so much easier,” Rubin said. “Last year you could see
the stagnant offense. These guys are a lot quicker and have a lot
better instinct for where the ball is at so we’re ready to
run.”
Thompson was also in attendance for the game, but was a
spectator observing the potential of the incoming freshman
class
“They’re doing a lot better than I thought,”
Thompson said. “I can’t wait to get in the same
backcourt as (Farmar).”
“It’s going to be great. He distributes the ball
well and with Cedric we’re going to be solid.”
Thus far, the 6-foot-5 Shipp has yet to prove his game. In 14
minutes of play he contributed just two points. While it may be
early in the summer, Jones has already identified a possible lack
of aggression, enthusiasm and seriousness on Shipp’s
part.
“I told a lot of these guys that even though they are
going to a prestigious school, they still have to put in the time
and be committed,” Jones said.
But the one area that still leaves a chasm in the Bruins’
run for the NCAA tournament is their lack of size and strength in
the paint.
Mata and Matt McKinney, a redshirt sophomore who also plays on
Sinclair’s Bruins, are not appearing to be the answers.
Playing against bigger defenders is one aspect they are adapting
to.
Although both Mata and McKinney will need to work on their
games, Rubin feels that the Bruins’ frontcourt will surpass
last season’s performance.
“(Mata and McKinney) might not be dominant, but they have
three more years,” Rubin said. “I think it’ll be
better this year with Fey and Hollins. They’ve improved a
lot.
“All I can tell you is that it won’t be bad like
last year, where you’re thinking, “˜Oh no, not another
second chance point.'”
With Howland heading into his second season at the helm, and
UCLA dusting off the cobwebs from last season, the freshman class
understands what is expected of them and how they have the weight
of UCLA on their shoulders.
“We’re all good guys and we all want to work
hard,” Shipp said. “Whatever the coach says,
we’re going to buy into his program, and hopefully
that’ll get us to win.”