M. hoops looking
M. hoops looking
for final piece of
its starting puzzle
Harrick uncertain
of who will fill his
fifth starting spot
By Randy Satterburg
Daily Bruin Staff
The UCLA men's basketball team has completed four-fifths of the jigsaw puzzle that is the Bruins' starting line-up, but head coach Jim Harrick said at his weekly press conference Tuesday that he will look long and hard before permanently laying down the final piece as he searches for the perfect fit.
Sophomore guard Cameron Dollar drew the starting nod in the Bruins' season opener vs. Cal State Northridge on Saturday, but freshman Toby Bailey started the second half.
According to Harrick both Dollar and Bailey have earned the right to get consideration for the fifth starting spot, but it also could have been either Marquis Burns or J.R. Henderson just as easily. Dollar is the fifth starter as it stands, but Harrick says he plans to consider several other players for potential starting spots as well.
"I just want to give each of them an opportunity to play with the four starters and show what they can do," Harrick said.
* * *
Another player who would be in prime contention for a starting role is freshman Kris Johnson, who has displayed the best scoring touch among the Bruins newcomers in the preseason. However, Johnson has been hobbled by a sprained ankle, a sprained wrist and now a stress fracture in the fibula of his left leg. He scored four points and grabbed four rebounds at less than full strength against Northridge.
He is now in a walking boot, and will miss practice this week, as well as Saturday's game against Kentucky.
Johnson will see the university's orthopedic doctor today for a more accurate prognosis.
* * *
With Johnson and the Bruins' three other freshmen trying to get acclimated to college basketball, Harrick has been presented with some interesting dilemmas.
Harrick likes his teams to play strong man-to-man defense, but he says that the Bruins need to be able to use a zone at times too. UCLA went to a zone a couple of times against Northridge, but with mixed results.
"I didn't like it," Harrick said. "We were a little bit lethargic and one of our freshmen forgot we were in a zone."
Harrick was more pleased with the Bruins zone press against Northridge. UCLA used this tactic 30 times, giving up four baskets but making eight plays that led to scoring opportunities, along with countless hurried shots.
"The press worked well against Northridge, but every team will try to attack it differently," Harrick said.
* * *
With Arizona and Arkansas suffering defeats last week, UCLA advanced to No. 4 in the USA Today/CNN poll, earning three first-place votes in the process. The Bruins' next opponent, Kentucky, is ranked one place ahead of UCLA at No. 3.
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