It almost seems like an afterthought.
Stuffed between last year’s 19-loss debacle and what looks to be
a promising future, the 2002-2003 UCLA basketball season very well
could be one of the most forgettable in the program’s storied
history.
Shackled by a short bench and a shallow talent pool, first-year
head coach Ben Howland will have to bide his time during what he
admits is a "rebuilding" season until an influx of prep talent
arrives the following year.
Preseason expectations are at an all-time low for a Bruin squad;
however, Howland remains cautiously optimistic about his inaugural
season at UCLA.
“I think we can challenge to be in the upper half of the
Pac-10 this year,” Howland said. “When I took the job
in April, I didn’t expect that.”
Howland’s enthusiasm is encouraging considering how little
about the UCLA basketball program resembles the Wooden-era teams he
grew up idolizing. Those teams oozed talent at every position. This
year’s squad barely can find a healthy body to start at power
forward.
But what Howland likes about his team is its willingness to
learn. He arrived preaching the fundamentals ““ mainly
toughness, defense and rebounding ““ and thus far the Bruins
(2-1) have responded.
In three games, UCLA has shown the attention to detail that it
lacked throughout much of Steve Lavin’s tenure. The
squad’s defense is already showing progress after limiting
No. 9 Kentucky to just 52 points on 27 percent shooting from the
field on Saturday.
“We’re improving, but we still have a long way to
go,” junior Dijon Thompson said. “Everything is there
for us. We just have to execute.”
Replacing old habits with new ones has been Howland’s
major focus in recent weeks as he attempts to make the most of his
players’ physical skills.
He’s encouraged Thompson to make a more consistent effort
on defense this season.
He’s goaded slender 7-footer Ryan Hollins into the weight
room, transforming the sophomore center into more of a threat on
both ends of the floor.
He’s helped 257-pound center Michael Fey learn to use his
body to his advantage in getting better position on the low
block.
All of that effort seems to be paying off.
Thompson recorded a key blocked shot in the season opener
against Vermont, and Hollins scored in double digits against
Kentucky. All Fey did against the Catamounts was tally a
career-high 20 points, dazzling everyone on hand with an array of
low post moves.
“All the time in the weight room during the summer is
really paying off,” Fey said.
A 2-1 start doesn’t conjure up images of UCLA’s
glory years, but it’s all that can be expected considering
how thin the Bruins are in the front court. With freshman Trevor
Ariza out after sustaining a collapsed lung and senior T.J.
Cummings sidelined due to academic trouble, UCLA has just three
scholarship players left inside.
Both Cummings and Ariza are slated to return later this month,
which the squad admits would provide a greatly needed boost to its
already depleted ranks.
Even before Ariza’s injury, Howland was realistic about
the Bruins’ skill level.
“We have five to six guys with very good talent. Then,
there’s a drop off,” he said. “That’s just
being honest.”
The lack of proven players’ coming off the bench is just
one reason UCLA was picked in preseason polls to finish in the
lower half of the Pac-10 for the second-straight season. While
challenging conference favorites Arizona and Stanford might be
difficult, the Bruins are confident they can exceed
expectations.
“We just need to get some wins under our belt,”
Thompson said. “We feel we can do a lot more than people
think we can do.”
Howland is excited by how much the team already has improved,
but he knows the season will be evaluated based on the
Bruins’ win-loss record.
“We’re going to come out, play hard, and play
unselfishly,” said Howland. “But the bottom line is,
our success is measured by wins and losses.”