UCLA BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: Howland shocked by Carlino transferBy Jon Gold jon.gold@dailynews.com Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 12/10/2010 09:49:56 PM PST
Updated: 12/10/2010 11:46:06 PM PST
UCLA head coach Ben Howland announced during a conference call Friday freshman guard Matt Carlino has decided to transfer.
Carlino verbally committed to UCLA in April after previously committing to Indiana. He chose to leave Bloomington South High in Indiana a year early to play for the Bruins, after averaging 13.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists as a junior.
Howland said he was blindsided by the decision and hadn't seen any warning signs - he also said Carlino had a great practice a day earlier - and it appears strictly to be a playing-time issue.
"Obviously I'm disappointed because it leaves us shorthanded," Howland said. "I probably should've played him in that Montana game and we wouldn't have this discussion."
Carlino was unreachable by phone, but released a statement through the school.
"It is with great humility that I declare my intentions to transfer from UCLA," Carlino said in a statement. "I want to thank the University, Coach Howland and his staff for affording me the opportunity of a lifetime. However, I believe a new destination would be much healthier for me both personally and athletically. I sincerely apologize to all those, especially those closest to me, who may find my decision disappointing, and I want to wish all of my coaches and teammates at UCLA best of luck going forward.
"I hope to be enrolled in a new educational institution by next semester, though I've not yet determined my schools of interest. I will have no further comments on this matter."
Carlino suffered a concussion during preseason and missed the first two weeks of the year, and Howland decided it wasn't prudent to play him at Kansas for his first game back.
However, as UCLA's shooting numbers were dreadful in Sunday's 66-57 loss to Montana, Howland still decided not to play Carlino. After the game, Howland even said he wouldn't consider redshirting him.
"That's definitely an aspect of it," Howland said of Carlino's dissatisfaction with playing time. "He's done fine academically. He doesn't see it long-term being best for him. That's why he made the decision."
Carlino's transfer leaves the Bruins with just nine scholarship players heading into today's game against Cal Poly at Pauley Pavilion.
Make that eight?
UCLA junior guard Malcolm Lee continues to work his way back from a strained right patellar tendon suffered against Montana, which Howland classified as patellar tendinitis, or jumper's knee.
Lee suffered a minor setback early in practice Thursday, when he sprained his ankle after landing on a teammate's foot. Howland, however, said Lee and trainer Laef Morris thought Lee would practice Friday and could play against the Mustangs today.
"He's seemingly OK," Howland said of Lee. "He's actually in a final right now, and he saw a trainer and both said he should be able to practice."
A Grizzly defeat
UCLA's loss to Montana - following a valiant last-second, one-point loss at Kansas in the previous game - still is wearing on Howland.
But he was quick to point out the scenario seemed ripe for a classic letdown as travel conditions combined with academic obligations converged right after a crushing defeat.
"We were on the road nine of previous 12 days, going across the country twice," Howland said. "Coming back, I thought our practice Saturday before the game was just OK at best. Some of the guys were into finals stuff and screwed up that way.
"You could just tell we were worn down a little bit."
Half-Nelson
UCLA sophomore forward Reeves Nelson has come back to earth after his scorching five-game start, when he totaled 88 points (17.6 per game) and 52 rebounds (10.4 a game).
Against Kansas and Montana, Nelson finished with just 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting and 11 rebounds, although Howland did take note of his defense against the Jayhawks.
"Even though he didn't score or rebound great against Kansas, I thought it was maybe the best defensive effort of his career," Howland said.
"He missed one rotation that was a significant one. He really worked hard to follow the game plan. Last game, he really played poorly. So much of his stuff is mental. He gets down, he gets negative, down on himself, he drops his head. It's only a self-defeating thing when he starts to do that."
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UCLA BASKETBALL FYIUCLA's Matt Carlino announces plans to transfer
The freshman shooting guard who graduated from high school a year early to enroll at UCLA has not played this season and says he will leave at the end of the quarter. Carlino has not chosen a new school.
By Ben Bolch
The Los Angelinos Times
5:43 PM PST, December 10, 2010
Matt Carlino hurried up, only to wait.
The freshman shooting guard who graduated from high school a year early to enroll at UCLA never played in seven games before telling Coach Ben Howland this week that he would transfer at the end of the quarter.
Carlino has returned home to the Phoenix area, leaving the Bruins with nine available scholarship players.
"I'm obviously disappointed because it leaves us short-handed," Howland said Friday during a teleconference.
Carlino was not medically cleared to play in the Bruins' first three games after sustaining a concussion in practice Nov. 8. Howland then decided not to play Carlino against Villanova or Virginia Commonwealth because of Carlino's limited practice time.
Howland also held Carlino out against Kansas because the coach did not feel comfortable letting Carlino make his college debut on the road against the fourth-ranked Jayhawks. But Howland said he regretted not letting Carlino play during the Bruins' 66-57 loss to Montana on Sunday.
"I probably should have played him in the Montana game and we might not be having this discussion," Howland said.
But Carlino didn't play, and his father, Mark, came to campus this week to meet with Howland. Matt Carlino said in a statement that he had not picked a new school.
"I believe a new destination would be much healthier for me both personally and athletically," Carlino said. "I sincerely apologize to all those, especially those closest to me, who may find my decision disappointing."
Head games
Howland said he had spoken with sophomore Reeves Nelson about the forward's tendency to sulk when things aren't going to his liking.
"So much of his stuff when he's not doing well is mental," Howland said. "He gets down, he drops his head and it only is a self-defeating thing when he starts to do that."
There's been a lot of brooding lately. After a stretch of four consecutive games in which Nelson tallied double-doubles, his production plummeted during losses to Kansas and Montana.
There was a five-point, five-rebound effort against the Jayhawks offset somewhat by what Howland called "maybe the best defensive effort of his career," followed by a five-point, six-rebound game against the Grizzlies in which Nelson repeatedly missed layups and put up little fight when a Montana player tried to tug the ball away in the second half.
But Howland said he was encouraged by Nelson's play in practice this week for the Bruins, who are on a four-game losing streak.
Change of venue?
The proposed sale of the Forum to the owners of Madison Square Garden could leave UCLA's home games in limbo for next season.
The Bruins had reached an informal agreement to play home games in 2011-12 at the Forum while Pauley Pavilion is renovated. But if the Forum is undergoing simultaneous refurbishment, then UCLA would be forced to look elsewhere. Other possible venues include the Honda Center, the Sports Arena and Staples Center.
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