JOSH SMITH A UCLA BRUIN!!!

video credit ballislife.com


More on Josh Smith
By Jon Gold
The Los Angeles Daily News
November 9, 2009 8:18 PM

UCLA head coach Ben Howland got one relieving phone call on Monday night, from an old friend.

Four years after receiving his first interest from the Bruins, Kentwood (Wash.) center Josh Smith orally committed to UCLA on Monday.

The 6-foot-9, 270-pound center chose between the Bruins and home-state favorite Washington in a tense recruiting battle, picking UCLA because of the past, present and future.

The past, because he knows well of the program's storied history, hearkening back to John Wooden and the team's 11 national championships.

The present, because he knows the Bruins are a team in transition, with nine scholarship underclassmen and the opportunity to contribute quickly.

The future, because UCLA has been a ladder to the NBA in recent years.

"Not trying to disrespect any other school, but with UCLA, people see those four letters and they remember all those great players, those champions, Coach Wooden," Smith said. "I want to wear those four letters well."

Smith has been vocal about his interest in the Bruins for a long while, even speaking often with former UCLA center - and first-round pick - Kevin Love.

He said that he was particularly enamored with Howland's style of play and commitment to execution.

"Going and watching them play, I just kind of fell in love with their style of play," Smith said. "It was one of those things where I look at Pauley, I knew I'd have to live up to a lot. I spoke to Kevin Love multiple times and he worked his butt off and had fun, and look where it got him.
"But I'm not trying to be the next Kevin Love though, I'm trying to be the next me."
He'll try to get an early start.

Smith said he planned on heading to Westwood in June to get a head start on weight training and conditioning. A fixture in the post, Smith has said he wants to improve his explosiveness.


video credit Quickstrike81 on youtube

UCLA basketball: Bruins score big recruiting win
by David Wharton
The Los Angeles Tims
November 9, 2009 | 7:47 pm

Washington state prospect Josh Smith, one of the top-rated big men in the nation, has committed to UCLA.

A 6-9, 270-pound center from Kentwood High, Smith came to the decision about an hour ago, his father said, choosing the Bruins over Washington.

He made his official visit to Westwood just a few weeks ago but had held off on a decision until after visiting with the Huskies staff.


video credit GOAZCATScom on youtube

Welcome to UCLA, Josh! Congratulations, Coach Howland and staff!

For more on Josh Smith, see earlier MUH post.

The Harrison Barnes Diary: Official visit to UCLA for Dime Magazine

pic credit: Andrew Shurtleff for ESPN.com
The Harrison Barnes Diary: Official visit to UCLA
Words. Harrison Barnes
Dime Magazine

While navigating through the hectic recruiting process, HighSchoolHoop’s top-rated player, Ames High (IA) swingman Harrison Barnes, agreed to chronicle his thoughts for us during each of his five official visits. First was North Carolina, followed by Oklahoma, Kansas and Duke. Now Barnes reflects on his last official visit to UCLA last weekend…

First, I would like to say that the UCLA trip was outstanding! When I visited there unofficially this summer, I got a chance to tour the athletic facilities, meet with academic advisors and attend a class, so we didn’t focus on that for this trip.

It gave me a lot more time to spend with Coach (Ben) Howland and his staff. They always said that they were going to recruit me until I signed, and it was truly refreshing to see how they approached my recruitment. They were able to show me the whole UCLA family in its current state, as well as the rich tradition of the past. I got to see how active they are in the community, campus life and just everything going on there. One of the best parts about this trip was that it gave me a chance to hang out with Coach Howland and just bond with him.

So Friday night, Oct. 30, I arrived at LAX and I was greeted by Coach Howland. He took me to the Century Plaza, which is supposed to be a really big deal. When the President comes to L.A., apparently that’s where he stays. It was real plush, just very nice … almost like a delicacy. It was impressive.

We started Saturday around noon and went to Third St. Promenade in Santa Monica for lunch, and that was really cool to just walk around in Cali and see all of the different lifestyles and diversities in the community.

After that we went to watch the team practice. It was different for me to see how intense their practices were and how engaged Coach Howland was. It showed me how dedicated he was to making sure that his players do well. I got to see how his players responded, and that was good. The emphasis was on defense. The key was that defense wins games.

After practice I had dinner with the assistants and the players, and my mom had dinner with Coach Howland and his family. Then I went out with the players and had a chance to enjoy some of the social aspects of the university. Since it was Halloween there were a lot more things going on, especially at some of the frat houses. My hosts were Malcolm Lee and Tyler Honeycutt, and they were cool guys.

Sunday we started with the Dribble for the Cure event, which was where us and a lot of kids in the community got basketballs and dribbled around campus to raise money for a cure for cancer. It was a really cool experience. The kids really looked up to the UCLA players.

After that we had lunch at the Chancellor’s house. That was a good experience to have a conversation with him and his wife. We talked about the university and the rich tradition academically and athletically. That was refreshing.

After that I went to see the UCLA women scrimmage, while my mom and sister were taken to see sights around L.A., Beverly Hills and Hollywood. They also got a chance to go to the Santa Monica beach and pick seashells. They really enjoyed that.

When we were done there we went over to Coach Howland’s to watch the game and have dinner. I have to say that he knows his way around the grill. He made a very good steak! Then I got a chance to hang out with the players at Westwood Village. That was cool.

But Monday morning was probably the most special morning because I got a chance to have breakfast with Coach Howland, Coach John Wooden and his daughter. That was an unreal experience! Just sitting in front of Coach Wooden, who in my opinion is the greatest coach in sports history, was awesome. I was just listening to him quote literature and quote other great leaders … it was exciting.

One of his favorite quotes was from Abraham Lincoln: “It’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool then to speak out and remove all doubt.” That really hit home. Those were like words of wisdom. But it was really fun to be eating with him and see him in his environment. He was still cracking jokes at age 99! It was just a really fun time. I really enjoyed that.

After that I met with the academic coordinator, and as we were finishing up the meeting, Kevin Love stopped in because he was having lunch with the academic coordinator that day. Then we had a quick tour of campus, I had a final meeting with Coach Howland, and we headed back to the airport.

That concluded my official visit tour! I will do an unofficial to Iowa State today (Friday). I have enjoyed all of the officials, but it’s going to be good to make a decision next week.

Well, I’ll let you guys know all about the Iowa State visit next week.

Arron Afflalo: A keeper for the Denver Nuggets

Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, left, looks to pass the ball against guard Arron Afflalo during the opening day of the team's training camp for the upcoming NBA basketball season on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)


New Nuggets acquisition Arron Afflalo, left, clamps down on point guard Chauncey Billups in practice. (John Leyba, The Denver Post )


Nuggets' Afflalo brings more than meets the eye to the court
By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post
Posted: 10/23/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT


Godot wouldn't have kept someone waiting this long.

Arron Afflalo and the Nuggets didn't practice Monday — players came to Pepsi Center to watch film or get treatment — so a reporter figured he would catch Afflalo for an interview in no time at all.

Instead, the reporter waited ("See ya tomorrow, Chauncey . . ."). And waited ("Later, Nene . . ."). And waited ("If the training staff and coaches have all left, then who's with Afflalo?").

Almost three hours after Afflalo had arrived — remember, this was an "off" day — he was still in the practice gym, shooting by himself, working at his craft.

Afflalo is a role player, a guy who could walk the 16th Street Mall and get more requests for change than requests for autographs. He has a paltry career scoring average (4.3 points). And the summertime acquisition from Detroit has yet to play a regular-season game for Denver. But just listen to what they're saying about him in the Nuggets' locker room, and one can quickly conclude he may have a bigger impact for this team than most fans realize.

Teammate Carmelo Anthony: "He doesn't take possessions off. He wants to get better in the gym — every day."

Coach George Karl: "He's the most organized, regimented young player I've ever coached."

Vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien: "He is everything a coach wants in a player. . . . We knew he had ridiculously high character."

Now, Afflalo ain't Air Jordan. The guy isn't going to win scoring titles and sell you sneakers. But for a Nuggets team that was yearning for role players — the right role players — Denver feels it got a steal in Afflalo.

"(The Nuggets) had a lot of success last year," he said, "and I just think that the pieces they lost, I have the ability to fill, defense being the primary thing, and secondary, being able to score when needed."

Look for the 6-foot-5 shooting guard to play similar minutes to what Dahntay Jones (18.1) or Linas Kleiza (22.2) logged last season but supply more offense than Jones and more defense than Kleiza.

Asked which NBA player Afflalo reminds him of, Karl said, "Richard Hamilton." That is significant for two reasons. One being that Hamilton is really good, and second, it was Hamilton who mentored Afflalo the past two years in Detroit.

"(Hamilton) is one of those players who every day in practice, he plays his game — he's not a guy who only does it when the lights come on," said Afflalo, whom Denver acquired for a future second- round pick. "Just being able to watch him — and more important get to compete against him — it made me better defensively, and he gave me a few tips that can hopefully help me here offensively."

Although Afflalo is 2 inches shorter than Hamilton, Karl said both shooting guards are excellent at moving without the ball and utilizing screens to get their shot off.

"In my opinion," Karl said, Afflalo "is ahead of the curve from the standpoint of basketball IQ."

The Nuggets believe that Afflalo will doggedly defend, just as Jones did, shoot the corner 3, as Kleiza did, and do so with a salary of $1.01 million, less than both the other two guys will make this season.

"We're into him," Warkentien said. "He's got a future."

When it comes to basketball, the 24-year-old Afflalo is mature beyond his years. After UCLA stunned Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament, Afflalo helped Gonzaga star Adam Morrison, who was weeping, up from the floor.

The one thing Afflalo isn't humble about is his hobby, pingpong. His pingpong table is back in Detroit, where he constantly challenged teammates and Pistons staff members. Asked who his toughest opponent was, Afflalo bragged: "No one. Not even close."

He added: "I ran through everybody in Detroit. It's a hobby I found fun and something I can compete at, and it's similar to basketball in a way, because it has a lot to do with touch and precision.

"Maybe that's why it appeals to me."

In many ways, he's just a 24-year-old going on 14. He plays pingpong, goofs off like a class clown, watches basketball highlights hours on end and he's like a kid in a candy store.

"When I had freedom and a little bit of money to buy candy, well, I can't walk down the aisle without grabbing some candy," Afflalo said.

"I have to start laying low on candy. I love it. I'm trying to change my diet to stay light for the year, stay away from candy, red meat and fast food."

But in basketball years, he's 24 going on 34. He approaches his job like a veteran would (he learned from Hamilton and current teammate Chauncey Billups in Detroit). Afflalo redefines work ethic, when there's no such thing as an off day.

Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com

Terrence Jones to visit UCLA today Nov 6

Jefferson's Terrence Jones visiting UCLA after weekend at Oregon
Doug Binder, The Oregonian, November 05, 2009 8:58 p.m.


Terrence Jones, dunking against Grant last season, is regarded as among the top 15 recruits in the class of 2010.Terrence Jones was to fly to Los Angeles on Thursday to take an official recruiting visit to UCLA, wrapping up a whirlwind basketball recruiting travel schedule.

Jones, Jefferson High School's 6-foot-9 senior star, visited Kentucky last week and was at Oregon on Saturday.

His coach, Pat Strickland, said Jones is in no rush to make up his mind on a college. If he hasn't decided which scholarship offer to accept by the early signing period, Strickland said, then he will wait.

The early signing period for basketball begins Wednesday and runs through Nov. 18.

Jones, The Oregonian Class 5A player of the year last season and widely considered one of the top 15 players in the nation in the class of 2010, has also made recent visits to Oklahoma and Washington.

"He's still not showing his hand," Strickland said.

For more on Terrence Jones, see recent post.

UCLA lucky to get by Concordia of the NAIA, 62-61

pic credit: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press / November 4, 2009)

Well, it's all over town. This will be a long season for the Bruins. UCLA barely escapes Concordia from the NAIA 62-61 at Pauley. No homecourt advantage was visible that night. A few articles on the game.

Bruins get a win and a reason for worry in exhibition game

Concordia, an NAIA school from Irvine, leads for most of the game before losing. 'We were lucky to win,' UCLA Coach Ben Howland says.

By David Wharton
The Los Angeles Times
November 5, 2009

The rumble that filtered through a sparsely populated Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday night was the sound that worry makes.

The sound of bewildered fans watching UCLA trail deep into the second half.

A sound that turned to cheers -- part joy, part relief -- only in the final seconds as UCLA barely escaped against little-known Concordia, 62-61, in the first exhibition game of the season.

That would be Concordia of Irvine. A team that normally plays in the NAIA.

"Obviously, we have a lot of work to do to be able to compete at all in the Pac-10," Coach Ben Howland said. "We were lucky to win."

It might have been worse. The Bruins might have lost if not for an unlikely hero.

Mustafa Abdul-Hamid, a former walk-on pressed into action at point guard, suffered through seven of his team's 20 turnovers before nailing a three-pointer with 16 seconds remaining.

"Negative thoughts weren't going through my head," he said. "It was just about making the next play."

The Bruins knew coming in that they face a rebuilding job, with four starters gone from last season. Their early practices had been hampered by no fewer than six players sitting out with injuries.

And Howland knew that exhibition losses are not unheard of, No. 25 Syracuse falling to Division II LeMoyne on Tuesday.

But this was not the start that he and his players envisioned.

More than anything, Concordia used its small, quick guards to attack a perceived weakness in UCLA. The Bruins are thin in the backcourt, and were especially so on Wednesday with point guard Jerime Anderson recovering from a sore groin.

Taking his place, Abdul-Hamid and Malcolm Lee looked flustered against Concordia's pressure. At the other end, they could not stop the Eagles from penetrating, and UCLA's big men offered little help.

The result? Concordia guard Justin Johnson raced to 21 points, opening up room for Brandon Hucks and Ben Smith, who had 10 and eight, respectively.

The trio kept its team ahead for almost the entire game, until the final three minutes when UCLA started making clutch shots.

Nikola Dragovic, who had 12 points, sank a twisting layup and Drew Gordon, who led UCLA with 17, scored on a spinning move. Then came Abdul-Hamid's shot.

Concordia still had time to score but UCLA held on with scrambling defense under the basket.

"It was a good sign that we came back," forward James Keefe said. "But, as a team, we did not want it to be this close."

__________________

Concordia throws scare into UCLA

UCLA 62, Concordia 61 The Bruins trail the entire second half until hitting a three with 16 seconds remaining.

12:42 AM PST on Thursday, November 5, 2009
By MICHAEL BECKER
The Press-Enterprise

LOS ANGELES - The UCLA men's basketball team hopes to be among the best in the Pac-10 Conference. But on Wednesday, it seemed better suited for the Golden State Athletic Conference.

The Bruins suffered a scare in their first exhibition game of the season at Pauley Pavilion but held off NAIA school Concordia, 62-61.

The Bruins trailed the entire second half until guard Mustafa Abdul-Hamid hit a straightaway three-pointer with 16 seconds remaining. Concordia guard Terrence Worthy missed two off-balance layups close to the basket with just seconds left on the game clock, and the Bruins avoided their most embarrassing exhibition defeat since falling to Branch West Basketball Academy in 2002.

"Obviously," Coach Ben Howland said, "we have a lot of work to do to be able to compete at all in the Pac-10 this coming season."

Center Drew Gordon came off the bench to lead the Bruins with 17 points, and former Riverside North guard Malcolm Lee had 11 points but fouled out with about four minutes remaining. The Bruins trailed by eight points with eight minutes remaining in the game but scored 19 of the final 29 points to hold off the Eagles.

"I don't think anything surprised me," Abdul-Hamid said. "They played hard. Coach told us from the get-go they were good. They did a great job -- they're basketball players."

Those who say exhibition games do not matter did not witness what happened two days ago and 3,000 miles to the east, where Division II Le Moyne stunned Syracuse on the Orange's floor. It was a season-making game for tiny Le Moyne and a devastating way to open the year for Syracuse, which was ranked in the preseason Top 25 but will surely fall if only because of the notoriety it will receive.

Such is the situation for big-name programs in exhibition games: fans expect nothing short of a blowout.

What many at Pauley Pavilion didn't know was that Irvine-based Concordia, which has an enrollment of 2,400, is no patsy. The Eagles, a member of the Golden State Athletic Conference, entered this season hoping to reach their fourth consecutive NAIA national championships.

The Eagles were so confident they could hold their own against big-time programs that they scheduled UCLA and UC Irvine back-to-back.

The Eagles showed no fear in the first half, running up a 31-28 lead at halftime. UCLA made 44 percent of its shots in the first half but turned the ball over 10 times and looked disjointed and uncomfortable with two starters sitting on the bench recovering from injuries.

Concordia guard Justin Johnson had 17 first-half points and finished with 21 points.

UCLA NOTES

Senior guard Michael Roll (right ankle sprain) and sophomore guard Jerime Anderson (pulled groin) did not play. Anderson is expected to make his debut in the Nov. 10 exhibition against Humboldt State.

Nikola Dragovic did not start as punishment for missing a mandatory team meeting last week.
_______________________

Bizarre basketball game makes season hard to predict
By Sam Allen
Daily Bruin
Nov. 5, 2009 at midnight

They had UCLA uniforms, but they weren’t playing UCLA basketball. They ran beneath the bright lights at Pauley Pavilion, but they didn’t look like a Bruin team. The game was an exhibition – it won’t even count toward their record – but they made it feel like a Pac-10 thriller.

As it unfolded Wednesday night, UCLA’s wild 62-61 win over Concordia didn’t really make much sense.

It was a completely confusing scene.

Concordia was confident. The team from the small, NAIA school in Irvine arrived here with swagger. They frustrated the Bruins with their defensive pressure. Offensively, the Eagles knew which players to pick on. Their bench erupted with each bucket. A small section of their fans jumped and screamed.

And the Bruins were sleepwalking. As a team, they committed 20 turnovers and missed 10 of their 19 free-throw attempts. Down the stretch the Bruin offense struggled to execute its basic sets, coach Ben Howland said.

Sophomore Malcolm Lee suffered a serious case of brain cramps. Lee, considered the team’s rising star at shooting guard, fouled out on a silly play with four minutes left.

When the whistle blew, he dropped to his knees and buried his head inside his white, stretched jersey.

“How stupid could I be?” was his only thought, he said.

Those last four minutes after he left were even more bizarre.

Point guard Mustafa Abdul-Hamid nailed a 3-pointer to put the Bruins ahead with 16 seconds left. It was the same Abdul-Hamid who had committed seven turnovers earlier in the game.

“We were lucky to win this game,” Howland said.

I’m not trying to push the panic button. This was November college basketball. The Bruins are trying to run complex schemes, and they’ve had little time to master them. They were also shorthanded, playing without starting point guard Jerime Anderson and sharpshooter Michael Roll.

I just thought it was a really weird night, and one that makes the regular season harder to predict.

I don’t know about Lee, I don’t know about the big men, and I don’t know about the freshmen, who Howland said were too flustered defensively down the stretch.

After this wacky game, only one thing was certain. The Bruins have a lot of work to do.

Afterward, as I wrote, one UCLA player’s father walked up past the press box. He stopped and said jokingly, “it wasn’t a Syracuse,” referring to the No. 25 Orangemen, who lost Tuesday to a Division II school.

And he was right. The Bruins did survive. It’s just hard to be certain they will again next time.

___________

In UCLA-Concordia squeaker, Bruins' backcourt needs the most oil

With defenders knocking at their knees, the Bruins' offense couldn't seem to find a rhythm in 62-61 win. Ben Howland says getting Michael Roll back will help.

By David Wharton
The Los Angeles Times
November 6, 2009

In the wake of UCLA's close call against Concordia -- a 62-61 exhibition victory at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday -- Coach Ben Howland and his team had some thoughts about backcourt play, perhaps the most troubling aspect of a bumpy night.

The Bruins looked disorganized on offense for much of the game, unable to establish a rhythm against smaller, quicker defenders. Even after timeouts, they failed to execute several sets in the final minutes.

Fans might have been reminded of the loss at Washington last season.

"Just our lack of ability to handle the pressure of their defense," Howland said. "We need to screen in the backcourt for our guard. That's my fault."

Concordia's Justin Johnson, listed at 6 feet 2 but looking shorter, led all scorers with 21 points and had a pair of steals. Terrence Worthy, at 5-9,also created problems.

"There's something about those little guys," UCLA guard Malcolm Lee said. "They just get in you, get around your knees."

Lee and former walk-on Mustafa Abdul-Hamid were forced to handle the point because Jerime Anderson was still nursing a groin injury. It was an especially tough outing for Abdul-Hamid, who made the winning three-point shot but also had seven turnovers and sounded like he had been put through the grinder.

"I don't think I've ever played 36 minutes," he said. "I think high school games are 32, so I was a little bit fatigued."

Lee, a shooting guard expected to spell Anderson at the point this season, did not fare much better, finishing with 11 points, two assists and three turnovers.

"Last time I really handled the ball was in high school, and I usually did better than that," he said.

The backcourt issue won't fade away, not with Darren Collison and Jrue Holiday gone to the NBA and UCLA left with only three bona fide scholarship guards.

Howland spoke of getting Lee more time at the point in practice. He also looked forward to the return of Anderson and shooting guard Michael Roll, a senior who might have helped the Bruins avoid some of their 20 turnovers.

"Just having Roll in there would have been a calming influence," Howland said. "Knowing what he's supposed to do, it would have been easier."

Little big men

Though UCLA fans might not have known about Concordia before Wednesday night, the Irvine school is a powerhouse in the NAIA, whose best teams equate to about the NCAA Division II level.

In the last seven years, the Eagles reached the NAIA championship game three times, winning the title in 2003.

Howland gave credit to their preparation.

"They ran the same play, just the old-school hit the high post with two guys split up high, and they scored on it, like, four or five times," he said. "We looked at some film from last year but they did different stuff."

Nevertheless, Concordia is a small school -- enrollment 2,400 -- with a schedule that includes the likes of Hope International, Point Loma Nazarene and Cal State Monterey Bay.

Even UCLA forward Drew Gordon, who knew a bit about the Eagles, was surprised.

"Two of my friends from high school play on that team, so we've been kind of going back and forth," he said. "I didn't expect them to be quite as good."

In the paint

If the Bruins were looking for a bright spot, they could focus on the offensive play of their frontcourt.

Though the big men failed to supply defensive help at times, they pushed UCLA to a 41-21 edge on the boards. Gordon led all players with 11 rebounds and James Keefe had six.

Gordon scored a team-high 17 points. In all, UCLA had 32 points in the paint and eight off second chances.

First up, Concordia University

Men's Basketball Hosts Concordia on Wednesday Night

The contest is slated for 7:30 p.m. and is the first of two exhibition games of the 2009-10 season.

Nov. 3, 2009

LOS ANGELES - The 2009-10 UCLA Bruins host the Concordia University Eagles in an exhibition game Wednesday night (Nov. 4) in Pauley Pavilion. Game time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Although the game isn't televised, you can still catch all of the exciting action with UCLA All-Access, UCLA Athletics' online multimedia platform. UCLA All-Access will carry exclusive online video broadcasts of three UCLA men's basketball games during the 2009-10 season. Live streaming video of the games against Concordia on Nov. 4, Humboldt State on Nov. 10 and Delaware State on Dec. 27 will be available exclusively on UCLA All-Access. For more information on UCLA All-Access, CLICK HERE.

ABOUT CONCORDIA
Located in Irvine, Calif., the Concordia University Eagles are members of the NAIA and the Golden State Athletic Conference. They are coached by Ken Ammann, who played two years at Stanford before graduating from Stanford in 1991. He is in his ninth season at the helm of CUI and sports an overall record of 221-62 (.781). Concordia has qualified for the NAIA National Tournament for three consecutive years and has made six appearances in the previous eight seasons Ammann has been at CUI. Ammann guided the Eagles to their only NAIA national championship in 2003. The Eagles return two starters from a team that went 28-7 overall last year and 16-4 in the GSAC (2nd place). CUI was ranked as high as 4th in the NAIA a year ago and finished with a final ranking of 12th after losing in the NAIA Quarterfinals in 2009. Senior guard Terrence Worthy is the team's top returner. Last year as a second-team All-American, he averaged 9.5 points, 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Another Eagle to watch is junior center Ben Smith, who averaged 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in 2008-09. Sophomore guard Cameron Gliddon is the team's highest scorer returning (9.6 points per game) and drained 65 three-pointers last year.

THREE BRUINS TO MISS FIRST EXHIBITION GAME
Earlier this week, UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland announced that senior guard Michael Roll, sophomore guard Jerime Anderson and freshman forward Brendan Lane will not dress for the Bruins' first exhibition game against Concordia. Lane has missed the last two weeks of practice with a sprained left ankle. Anderson missed the first two weeks of practice with a strained left groin and only returned to practice this Monday (Nov. 2), but not at 100 percent. Roll also has a sprained ankle (right) and returned to practice on Monday, but only practiced in drills with no contact. All three student-athletes will continue to be revaluated on a daily basis.

For the complete press release, go to the Official UCLA Men's Basketball Webpage.

UCLA Target for 2010: Trey Ziegler 6-5 190 SG

video credit: pointguardu.com on youtube

Trey Ziegler
Hometown Mount Pleasant, MI
High School Mount Pleasant High School
Position rank Shooting Guard # 5
Height 6'5"
Weight 190 lbs.

from ESPN.com Men's College Basketball Recruiting

Evaluation

August, 2009: Zeigler was one of the surprises at this event (Adidas Nations) because of his point guard play in the absence of Brandon Knight (injured). Even though he has shown solid passing ability from the shooting guard position, it was nice to see his adaptability to running a team as a point guard in a tough situation. He has a good looking basketball body; he is a long athlete with some bounce that plays with a nice a pace. He uses ball screens well and showed a nice pull up jumper off the ball screen. He understands how to post a guard and can make a play from the block area for himself or a teammate. He has a nice stroke from the perimeter and was very effective in transition attacking the rim or getting into the paint and finding an open teammate. He showed he could defend a point and using his size and length as a big advantage. He will play off the ball in college, but it was nice to see that he can handle running a team when pressed into duty.

July, 2009: Ziegler was terrific in the open court (LeBron James Skills Academy) as he made plays in the passing lanes that turned into easy fast break baskets. Ziegler made excellent decisions on the break. He made great passes to teammates ahead of him and when the defense approached out of control he got to the rim and finished. Ziegler displayed good court vision and also hit the defensive glass where he is a threat to go coast to coast and finish above the rim. He played with good energy and urgency today. Played well all week, was more aggressive than when I saw him in early spring. Very active on defense especially in the passing lanes where he came up with steals and turned them into scores. Was terrific in the open court as he attacked the rim or hit the open man running ahead. Knocked down open three%u2019s off the catch and finished his slashes to the basket. Capable of scoring in bunches and in a variety of ways.

April, 2009: Zeigler has great size and the ability to score from three off the catch and slash to the rim in transition as well as from the wing in the half court. He also loves to attack the rim along the baseline and has the size and strength to finish in traffic. Zeigler didn%u2019t play as well as I seen him in the past. He was not as aggressive as he was at the Adidas Nations Tournament back in August. He played with urgency but was not in constant attack mode on the offensive end like he has displayed in the past. His talent is clear but he could have dominated the game from a scoring stand point but didn't. Zeigler has a great feel for the game and an excellent basketball IQ but must be willing to show his offensive tools every time he takes the floor.

August, 2008: The son of Central Michigan head coach Ernie Zeigler is a scoring guard with good size and strength. He sprints the wing in transition and is a threat to get to the rim or knock down the spot up three. Zeigler is a good ball handler and decent passer that can drive or slash to the basket both ways. He likes to drive along the baseline and can finish most of the time with a power move to the rim and will attack driving left and spin back right to his floater or pull up jumper in the lane. Zeigler has a nice stroke at the free throw line can shoot the three off the catch when he receives a pass created by penetration on his side off the floor. He should be a better defensive rebounder because of his size but does a good job of working the offensive glass for tip-ins as he sprints in from the perimeter. With continued focus and hard work Zeigler will be an excellent player on the college level.

December, 2007: Trey is a gifted athlete that can play multiple positions and he does it with a high basketball IQ. He's a natural big guard that can score baskets in bunches but is smooth and talented enough to play the point guard position at times as well. He's a good athlete that has the size and skill package to be one of the elite wings in the country over the next two years. His jump shot is solid and I look for it to improve as time goes on. He gets to the basket any time he wants so he rarely settles for jumpers. He's a young talent that could be a special player one day.

Notes
Travel Team: Team Detroit...Son of Central Michigan head coach Ernie Zeigler...Oklahoma, Providence, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Central Michigan and Miami (Fla.) are involved...