Wednesday, October 22, 1997
Men’s basketball flies into action
STORY
By Mark Shapiro
Daily Bruin Staff
It was only the third practice for the men’s basketball team
this season, but that shiny glow on the Pauley Pavilion floor is
already getting dull.
Between the skid marks left from running lines to the skin left
behind by diving players, the court is quickly losing its luster at
basketball boot camp – Steve Lavin style.
In his first full season as UCLA’s head coach, Lavin has brought
his high-intensity coaching philosophy to bear right from the
start, and on a team with six freshmen looking to make a name for
themselves, the bodies are flying.
"The practices have all been like this," Lavin said. "They’ve
all been high-spirited and highly competitive. A lot of that is
because we’re young, the young guys are coming out everyday
sprinting, which is good to see."
To say they’re sprinting is like saying Lavin only mildly
perspires. In one drill, six players hit the floor while fighting
for a loose ball, and after another drill, assistant coach Michael
Holton was swept into the fray, running lines with the losing
team.
It is the cadre of six freshmen that is taking these early
practice sessions by storm. Not since 1994, when the Bruins brought
in the class of Toby Bailey, J.R. Henderson and Kris Johnson, have
so many rookies been around to pump up the practice atmosphere.
"When I was a freshman, it was like this," Bailey, now a senior,
said. "(The freshmen) bring a new excitement and youth to the team.
It gets us excited about practice and gets the competitive level
up."
With some hefty holes in the lineup in the wake of two starters
graduating and the suspensions of Kris Johnson and Jelani McCoy,
there is playing time for the taking and freshmen Billy Knight,
Baron Davis, Earl Watson, Todd Ramasar, Travis Reed and Rico Hines
are all looking to fill the empty shoes.
"That’s six people that can really help you," Lavin said.
"Knight, Watson, (Ryan) Bailey and Reed: those four players,
they’re really good basketball players in terms of decision-making.
They’re very wise freshmen. Watson and Davis, watching those two
fight each other in practice every day is fun because they push
each other."
Also emerging from the early practices has been a newfound
shooting touch in the line-up. Not since the days of Tracy Murray
or Ed O’Bannon have the Bruins had a bona-fide outside shooting
threat, but with the infusion of new blood teamed with veterans
Bailey and Brandon Loyd, the outside shot is becoming a
priority.
"The one skill of the entire team that has stood out to this
point is shooting," Lavin said. "We’re looking at seven, eight,
nine guys who can shoot threes. We’re giving away size and we’re
giving away strength; what we have is quickness and shooting. It
puts a lot of pressure on defenses to put four shooters on the
floor."
Meanwhile, senior J.R. Henderson and sophomore Sean Farnham both
sat out of practice with nagging injuries. Henderson has been
experiencing pain in the top of his foot and Farnham is nursing a
sore ankle.
Both players were able to spend time working out on a stationary
bicycle and shoot around during practice.