BBR: UCLA Bruins 2007-08 Basketball Preview

By KS Wong
Bruin Basketball Report

With back-to-back Final Four appearances the last two seasons there is little doubt UCLA has reclaimed its place among elite college basketball programs.

Blue-chip recruits around the country are regularly listing UCLA as a top destination, and kids in the West look first towards Westwood before anywhere else. A top-ranked incoming class in 2008 attests to the program's renewed drawing power.

Despite all the recent success, the eleven basketball championship banners hanging in the rafters at Pauley Pavilion remain a stark reminder to players and coaches of the annual expectations set for the team.

Yet, players and coaches alike don't shy away from the lofty expectations, moreover many of them embrace the challenge set by Bruin greats of the past, claiming the reason why they chose UCLA in the first place was due to the tradition of winning.

In four seasons Head Coach Ben Howland has compiled a record of 91-41 (.689) including 30+ win seasons the past two years - only one coach (John Wooden) in UCLA history has more 30+ win seasons.  His turnaround of a program, which had fallen on hard times under his predecessor, is now complete.  The next goal is a NCAA championship, whether it happens this season remains to be seen; but it appears this 2007-08 team may give him his best chance of winning it all since he's been at UCLA.

Although Coach Howland may change his offense to an extent based upon the strength of his personnel, the focus on defense remains unchanged.  Defense wins championship is still the working theorem followed at UCLA practices.

The Bruins lost Arron Afflalo, who was taken in the first-round of the NBA draft, from last season's club, but they return a solid nucleus of veterans and have added key pieces for their tourney run. The Bruins have a total of eleven scholarship players on the roster which includes: one senior, five juniors, three sophomores, and two freshmen.

Incoming Freshmen

Kevin Love: As one of the most anticipated arrivals in recent Bruin history, Love finally joins the Bruins amid sky-high expectations and hype.  Has he been worthy of all the attention?  Since practice began over two weeks ago, Love has been the leading rebounder on the team, scored effectively off the low blocks, and has proved he can hit from the outside consistently.  Despite getting a little banged up during practice, the 6'10 260 lb freshman has shown he can dish it out too as he learns the nuances of the team's system and rigors of playing against quality big men everyday.

While Love gives the team a consistent inside scoring presence it has lacked in past seasons, it's his ability to rebound and outlet pass effectively to ignite the fastbreak that may change the Bruin offense from one that relied heavily on its half-court execution to one that scores more often in transition.

One of the biggest adjustments for Love this season will be on defense.  He'll be consistently facing bigger and faster competition than he's ever played before.  But its a challenge Love embraces since he understands that he needs to improve his defensive skills if he expects to be successful at the next level.

Coach Howland has not announced his starting line-up for the first regular season game, however, Love has worked hard in practice and has been one of the team's top players.  There is nothing to suggest at this point that he won't be lining up on the court at tip-off time.

Chace Stanback: Stanback quietly slipped into Westwood amid all the attention given to his fellow freshman, however, he has been solid in practice and has impressed Howland with his effort, especially in rebounding.  Howland reported the 6'8 Stanback was the team's fourth best rebounder during all scrimmages.  He has shown a knack for finding the ball and an aggressiveness which lends to his rebounding ability.  Stanback still needs to improve his outside shooting and overall understanding of the game at this level. 

Barring injuries on the team, Stanback is not expected to play a significant amount of minutes this season, however, he appears to be a solid Howland-type player who should be a solid contributer over the next few seasons.

Returning Players

Darren Collison: The Bruins' starting point-guard seriously considered entering the NBA draft after last season where he was projected by some to be a first-round draft choice.  At the end, Collison made the right decision to return to UCLA for another year to hone his skills further under Coach Howland.    

Collison, who is known for his speed and quickness, expanded his game last season by improving his outside shooting and his play-making skills.  He shot 44.7% from beyond the three-point arc for third best in the Pac-10 while averaging 12.7 points and 5.7 assists a game.

Howland considers Collison to be the team's best on ball defender.  His quickness allows him to hound opponent guards endlessly throughout games - he averaged 2.2 steals last season.

With the addition of Kevin Love and the subsequent improvement in team rebounding, the Bruins are expected to run more in transition this season.  In practice, Howland has been urging his guards, specifically Collison, to push the ball up after every change in possession to put pressure on retreating defenders.  With the personnel on the team, this may be the season the Bruins begin to rely on their fast-break as a primary weapon on offense.

Josh Shipp:  The red-shirt junior underwent hip surgery over the summer but he appears to have fully recuperated.  Shipp is the team's top returning scorer from last season and is expected to help make up some of the scoring slack from Afflalo's departure.

He was inconsistent with his outside shooting last season averaging just 31.6% from three-point distance.  However, Howland has reported that Shipp has shot extremely well in practice and expects him to be one of the team's top scorers. 

Shipp will likely start the season at shooting guard, but will probably spend time at small forward as well.  On offense, Shipp's ability to hit from the outside and drive the lane gives the team options on the wing, but its still unclear how effective he will be in defending the opposition's shooting guard.  While Shipp averaged 1.8 steals a game last season, he finds himself out of position at times on defense and may have difficulty covering a quicker guard.  If Shipp expends the effort on defense to stay in front of his man, he can be effective, if not, then the Bruins will need to either go to Russell Westbrook at times at shooting guard or even perhaps shift Luc Richard Mbah a Moute to guard the two if necessary.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute:  Mbah a Moute is looking to improve on his sophomore campaign where both his scoring and rebounding totals decreased from his prior year.  Although the junior forward won't readily admit it himself, he was bothered most of last season by tendinitis in both knees which seemed to limit his explosiveness.  However, he underwent therapy and improved his training regimen to strengthen the muscles around his knees over the summer and declares himself completely healthy.

He worked with assistant coach Scott Garson to improve his outside shooting over the summer.  Mbah a Moute has shortened his shooting stroke which has resulted in a more consistent motion, and he has reportedly been shooting well in practice.  If he can carry over his success in practice into the regular season, then Mbah a Moute may be in store for a break-out season.

Lorenzo Mata-Real: The senior center has improved his game every season at UCLA and his physical presence underneath anchored the defense last year. Mata-Real will likely split time at the the center position with Love, although he will also likely play alongside him with Love moving over to the four spot.  It wouldn't be surprising to have both Mata and Love in the line-up to start the game.

Mata-Real worked hard over the summer to improve his offensive repertoire, and reports from practice indicates he is scoring more effectively from the post.  He has been injury-prone during his career at UCLA, mainly due to his all-out style of play, however for the team to be successful this season, Mata-Real needs to stay healthy.  With only eleven scholarship players, the Bruins can ill afford to lose Mata-Real, or any player for that matter, for prolonged periods.

Michael Roll: The junior sharpshooter has been impressive at practice this year.  While he is not the quickest player on the team, Roll works extremely hard on defense and does a good job staying in front of his man to the point that the coaches have confidence in playing him against good offensive scorers.

In his third year at UCLA, Roll has a solid understanding of the system and knows his role on the team.  He is a good passer, especially in feeding the post, which is important this season with Love in the paint.  Roll's ability to play both the two and three spots and his experience will play a big part in the Bruins' success this season.

Russell Westbrook: At the start of practice this year, Coach Howland stated he thought Westbrook may be the most improved player.  Over the summer, Westbrook worked hard everyday at the Men's Gym playing against NBA players and top college players to improve his game. He is explosive off the dribble and is arguably the team's most athletically-gifted players.

Westbrook will start the season backing up Collison at the point, although Howland expects to play him alongside Collison at times during the game.  He feels a dynamic combination of Westbrook and Collison in the backcourt will be difficult for most teams to defend. 

More recently in practice, Westbrook has not demonstrated the level of patience at point-guard that Howland expects at the position, at times playing too out of control.  With limited options after Collison at point, much of the team's success will depend on Westbrook's ability to harness his game and play within the team's system.

Alfred Aboya: Aboya's role on the team the past two season has been to be a physical presence.  While the Bruins need him to continue his aggressive play, he now may be able to provide some scoring as well.  Over the summer, the junior worked on his mid-range jumper and has improved to the point that Howland has confidence in his ability to hit the open jumper in games. 

Aboya's ability to play both the four and five off the bench gives Howland flexibility in his rotation.  His ability to hit the shot consistently will make players guard him honestly rather than play off him when he has the ball away from the basket as they did last season.

Nikola Dragovic:  Where does Dragovic fit on the team?  On one hand, he is perhaps the team's best outside shooter from deep and is an excellent passer.  Dragovic is also a seasoned player, having played a significant role on the Serbian national team's championship over the summer.  On the other hand, he needs to demonstrate to the coaching staff that he can play effective defense at the Division I level.  At 6'8 with average speed, Dragovic may have problems guarding quicker wing players, while at the same time does not have experience in guarding post players inside.

While Dragovic may be useful against zone defenses and provide the team instant offense off the bench, unless he improves his defense it may be difficult for him to find time in the rotation.

James Keefe:  From most reports, Keefe had been playing very well over the summer and his strength and weight conditioning had much to do with his success.  However, his shoulder injury and subsequent surgery has set him back. 

The Bruins need Keefe this season to provide depth inside the paint.   He is not expected to return to the line-up until mid-December.

(photo credit: AP and Jack Rosenfeld)

UCLA Bruins Basketball: Progress Report

By Bruin Basketball Report

Despite losing three starters from last year's team and possessing no seniors, the Bruins have displayed a level of cohesiveness normally found only on veteran clubs.  Perhaps the fact that the sophomore and junior laden team is NCAA tournament battle-tested having played in six tournament games, including the championship final, has something to do with it.

This UCLA team has a swagger about itself. 

Players give the impression they can win any game, at anytime, anywhere. 

Its not cockiness. Instead, its an assuredness they have in each other, a belief in the system they play within, and a trust in its coaching staff.

It's unrealistic to expect UCLA will go undefeated this season, especially considering the strength of the Pac-10 conference, but it is a special team, which if it can remain injury-free and continue to improve, it may go deep in the tournament. 

How far will it go in the tournament?  As last year's UCLA team demonstrated, once you're in the tournament - anything can happen.

How are the Bruins doing so far this year as the Pac-10 conference season begins this week?  Despite an 11-0 record and an average margin of victory of 17.5 points over opponents, UCLA is doing many things right but even the No.1 team in the nation still has areas to improve upon.   

BBR takes an in-depth look at the progress of the 2006-07 UCLA team.

Starters: B+

The attitude of teammates and the tone on the court is set by Ben Howland's first UCLA recruit, junior Arron Afflalo.  He is a selfless warrior who expects more of himself than anyone else.  Afflalo puts the burden of a missed shot or a team loss equally on his own shoulders.

One of the best perimeter defenders in the nation, Afflalo takes every defensive assignment as a personal challenge.  He is asked to guard the opponent's best offensive backcourt player which at times can take a toll on his offensive game. 

He is the team's leading scorer at 16.0 points while shooting 47.1% from the field and 38.6% on three-pointers.  His three-point percentage would be higher if not for a horrendous 3-16 shooting stretch in Maui.  Afflalo's rebounding totals (1.6) are noticeably low this season but Coach Ben Howland has placed extra heavy emphasis on transition defense which requires Afflalo to head back immediately after any Bruin shot attempt thus lessening his rebounding opportunities.

Afflalo explored entering the NBA draft after last season before deciding to return for his third season at UCLA, and the Bruins are glad he made the right choice.

Red-shirt sophomore Josh Shipp is close to playing at the level he displayed prior to his hip-injury two summers ago. 

Shipp has improved his defensive effort since the start of the season perhaps delivering his finest performance against Michigan by applying good pressure on the outside and stepping into passing lanes.  He needs to maintain this defensive effort throughout the season to help take some of the pressure off Afflalo who last year had defensive stalwart Cedric Bozeman helping him with the opponent's top guns.

Shipp has the craftiness and body control to find his way to the basket and get up a shot.  He is tied on the team for most free-throw attempts.  Paired with Afflalo, they make-up one of the finest set of offensive wings in the nation.  Shipp gives the Bruins the additional offensive threat they lacked last season.  He is averaging 14.9 points on 47.9% shooting and 38.3% from beyond the arc.

UCLA is running in transition more often this season and as a result they are averaging 9.7 more points a game. With Afflalo and Shipp gliding down on the wings, the Bruins have the perfect point-guard to push the ball up the court in sophomore Darren Collison.

Many were concerned with the early departure of Jordan Farmar to the NBA last season and uncertain whether Collison could handle the full-time point-guard duties, but the kid from Etiwanda HS has proved he can not only just step in but can add a little more.

Collison is averaging 13.0 points and 6.2 assists a game this season.  He is shooting an astounding 59.3% from the field and 44.8% from three-point distance. Despite turning the ball over more in recent games, he has played under control while directing the halfcourt offense.  But its his extra-gear which has transformed the offense from strictly a halfcourt team into a multi-faceted offense that can beat you in different ways including in transition.

Defensively, Collison has been superb.  He is on the front line of the Bruin defense, picking up opposing guards in the backcourt and harassing them until they give up the ball.  Considering the Bruins are not big inside the paint, the perimeter defensive pressure Collison, along with Afflalo and Shipp, applies is key in preventing teams from exploiting the Bruin's defensive weakness in the low post with easy entry passes.

Overall, Collison still needs to improve on his turnovers with Coach Howland pointing out that he needs to dribble lower especially in traffic to avoid them.

Sophomore Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is averaging 10.5 points on 58% shooting and a team-leading 7.4 rebounds a game.  He had one of his finest games of the season against Michigan on Saturday.   

Although he scored only 13 points and grabbed 2 rebounds, he disrupted Michigan's game with his low-post defense and quickness and size on the court .  Mbah a Moute's most important value to the team is the intangibles he brings to a game. Opponents have to be concerned with keeping him off the boards and his uncanny ability to always be around the ball.   

Mbah a Moute has developed a quick first-step which most power forwards have problems defending.  At this point. his outside shot is still inconsistent but If he ever develops a mid-range jumper - he will be near-impossible to guard.  Yet, its Mbah a Moute's defense, hustle and rebounding the Bruins need for them to be successful this season.

6'9 center Lorenzo Mata has provided solid play in the middle for the Bruins.  Plagued by early season knee-surgery, he is averaging just 24 minutes a game but is second on the team in rebounding with 6.5 and leads the team in blocks with 1.2. 

He is developing more confidence in a half-hook shot in games and is averaging 6.5 points on 62.3% shooting, although the Bruins count on Mata to deliver more bone-crunching picks, defense, and rebounding than field goal attempts. 

Mata has struggled mightily, and has become a liability, at the free-throw line shooting just 27.8%.  He obviously must improve in this area if he is to effective on the court late in the game.

While he is strong help defender, Mata has struggled at times with single-coverage post defense even against smaller players, allowing opponents to get too deep on the blocks against him.  Although Howland usually compensates for any offensive mismatches inside with aggressive double-teams, a team with good passing big men, such as Florida demonstrated and perhaps Spencer Hawes and Jon Brockman of Washington, may be able to expose this defensive weakness.

Bench: B

Sophomore Alfred Aboya has been the first Bruin off the bench this season.  Despite being under-sized for a center, Aboya makes it up with his aggressiveness and energy.  Aboya is averaging 4.0 points on 51.5% shooting. in 13.7 minutes a game.  He improved his low-post offense over the summer, using his quickness to get to the rim and also is gaining confidence in a 12-15 foot jumper. 

Aboya has struggled with foul trouble in some games which has left sophomore Ryan Wright as the next option at center.  Wright's early season play has not earned him extra minutes in the rotation.  He still has time to step up this season, but with others getting appreciably better with every practice and game, Wright may be hard pressed to see more action aside than as a third option at center.

The five spot is a vulnerable area on the UCLA team.  If Mata suffers another injury this season or gets into early foul trouble, the team does not appear to have enough depth to compensate.

Michael Roll has become more of a complete player this season. Known primarily as a three-point threat, Roll re-tooled over the summer and added a mid-range game.  He is averaging 5.3 points on 43.4% shooting and 37.5% from beyond the arc in 16.5 minutes of play a game.

Roll has the size and skill to play both the two and three spot and has been the primary substitute for Shipp and Afflalo.  Coupled with solid defense and passing, he has become a valuable player off the bench in his second season.

While still adjusting to college-level ball, freshman Russell Westbrook has given UCLA solid minutes at back-up point-guard.  Although he still has much to learn about the UCLA point-guard position, Westbrook has provided good on-the-ball defensive pressure and is shooting well from the field 48.5% overall and 55.6% from three-point distance. 

He is averaging only 9.1 minutes per contest, mainly because he's still learning the position but also because Darren Collison is playing so well.  Yet, the Bruins will need a more experienced and game-tested Russell Westbrook by NCAA tourney time.

After starting the season rather timidly, freshman James Keefe has come on strong over his last two games averaging 4.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 9.5 minutes of play  He will need more games with similar effort if he is to gain a regular spot in Coach Howland's rotation.  With little depth along the front line, a big contribution from Keefe would bode well for the Bruins chances this season.

Nikola Dragovic returned to the team after sitting out the first ten games of the season due to a suspension. Although he is a highly skilled passer and shooter with good size, he may find it difficult to gain a spot in the team's regular rotation.  With Pac-10 conference play starting, there may be less experimentation with line-ups and player rotations shortened.  Still, the Serbian is a big time talent who may still contribute to the team this season.

Coaching: A+

What happens when a team losses three starters to the NBA in a year?  The team goes undefeated through eleven games if you're coached by Ben Howland.

In his fourth year at the helm, Coach Howland has his own recruits playing in his system.   

He not only recruits highly-skilled ball players but also recruits Ben Howland-type  players: high character, team-oriented, and highly-competitive winners. 

He has developed a foundation at UCLA which will make 25-plus victory seasons and a high NCAA tournament seeding an annual event in Westwood. 

Howland's fundamental system of hard-nosed solid team defense and high-percentage offense, matching the talent of his team, is a winning combination.  Last season with Jordan Farmar at the helm and a less offensive-potent line-up, the Bruins played a highly-structured offense. This season, with high-scoring wings and a speedster at point, the Bruins have become more of a running team -- yet, the common denominator for both teams is solid defense. 

Last season, a stingy UCLA defense allowed just 58.7 points a game on 41.5 shooting.  This season, despite running more often and allowing opponents more possessions per game, the defense is still allowing just 59.8 points a game on 41.1% field goal shooting.

As UCLA Coach Ben Howland has shown: Defense wins championships.   

(photo credit: Jack Rosenfeld)

Pac-10 Conference 2006-07 Season Preview

By Bruin Basketball Report

Enjoying one of its finest seasons in years, the Pac-10 begins this week as one of the top conferences in the nation with a real possibility of having five or six teams in the NCAA tournament this season.

All Pac-10 teams currently have winning records inlcuding two undefeated (UCLA and Oregon) and three teams with a single defeat (Arizona, Washington, and Washington St.)

Overall, the Pac-10 conference ranks second in RPI versus all other conferences, and have the nation's top two ranked RPI teams in the conference with Arizona (No.1) and UCLA (No.2).

"The Pac-10 conference is the most competitive since I've been here and (Arizona) Coach Lute Olson says its the toughest since he's coached his team," UCLA Head Coach Howland said.  "You can count on the Pac-10 conference having five, or possibly six, teams in the NCAA tournament this year."

Pac-10 Predictions

1. UCLA
2. Arizona
3. Washington
4. Oregon
5. USC
6. Washington St.
7. Stanford
8. California
9. Oregon St
10.Arizona St

Team Previews

1. UCLA (11-0)

Probable Starters
G-Darren Collison (So, 6'1, 165), G-Arron Afflalo (Jr, 6'5, 215), F-Josh Shipp (So, 6'5, 220) F-Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (So, 6'8, 230), C-Lorenzo Mata (Jr, 6'9, 240)

Key Resevers
Alfred Aboya (So, 6'8, 235), Russell Westbrook (Fr, 6'3,187), Michael Roll (So, 6'5, 200), James Keefe (Fr, 6'8, 220), Ryan Wright (So, 6'8, 240)

Analysis
Despite losing three starters from last season's Pac-10 championship squad, the top-ranked Bruins are playing better basletball at this point than last season.  Although the team has no seniors and just two juniors, the Bruins display a cohesiveness of more veteran teams. Perhaps it can be explained by the fact, despite the preponderance of lower-classmen, its a battle-tested roster which played six post-season NCAA tournament games and came within a single game of the championship last season.

With speedy Darren Collison at the point and Arron Afflalo and Josh Shipp running hard on the wings, the UCLA offense is running more in transition.  After averaging just 67.7 points a game in 2005-06, UCLA is averaging 77.4 points this season.  While Afflalo has maintained his solid contribution from the backcourt, Collison has exceeded all expectation thus far after taking over the reins from Jordan Farmar and Josh Shipp has provided extra-firepower from the small forward spot. 

At the same time, the Bruins are doing a stand-out job defensively allowing 59.8 points on 41.1% field-goal shooting, figures which compare similarly to 2005-06 ( 58.7 points/41.5 FG%).  Darren Collison has done an outstanding job using his speed to harass opposing point-guards.

With the loss of 7'0 Ryan Hollins to graduation,  the Bruins have lacked a strong low-post defensive presence. While Lorenzo Mata and his back-up, Alfred Aboya, have done an admirable job anchoring the defense, they lack the size to be dominant down low.  But Coach Ben Howland stresses team defense, and the Bruins have been able to compensate for their lack of size underneath by applying pressure on the perimeter to deny post-entry passes and assigning aggressive double-teams on quality post players.  Still, certain Pac-10 teams will present match-up problems for the Bruins down low.

Although we expect the Bruins to win the conference, don't expect them to go through Pac-10 play undefeated.  There are too many quality teams and traditionally hostile environments for such a young squad to go through the season untarnished.  Three, maybe four, losses will still win the conference this season.

2. Arizona Wildcats (7-3)

Probable Starters
G-Mustafa Shakur (Junior, 6'3, 190), G-Jawann McClellan (Jr, 6'4,225), F-Chase Budinger (Fr, 6'7, 190), F-Marcus Williams (So, 6'7, 205), F-Ivan Radenovic (Jr, 6'10, 244),

Key Reserves
Jordan Hill (Fr, 6'8, 210), Nic Wise (Fr, 5'10, 180), Daniel Dillon (Jr, 6'3, 195), Kirk Walters (Jr, 6'10, 241) - injured

Analysis

Addition by subtraction?  Despite having arguably the most talented roster in the conference last season, the Wildcats were plagued by off-court issues with Chris Rodgers and Hassan Adams, both of whom are no longer with the club.  This season there appears to be more harmony in Tucson and the Wildcats are enjoying their spot in the top-10 ranking.

Ivan Radenovic is having a solid season shooting over 58% from the field

BBR: UCLA Bruins 2006-07 Basketball Preview

By Bruin Basketball Report

For most college basketball programs, reaching the championship game of the NCAA finals would be considered a banner year. However in Westwood, a team doesn't have a banner year, it only hangs them alongside the other eleven already at Pauley Pavilion.

And so goes the lofty expectations of UCLA Bruin basketball fans.

However, for those with more realistic expectations (i.e. fans who still aren't wearing Angels Flight bell-bottoms and silk shirts from the 70s), the 2006-07 UCLA Bruins are favorites to win their second consecutive Pac-10 conference championship and earn a ticket to the NCAA tournament, where as we learned last season - anything can happen.

The Coach

In three short seasons, UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland has returned the program to its rightful place among the elite of college basketball.

After recording 11-17 and 18-11 seasons in his first two at UCLA, Howland led the Bruins to an astounding 32-7 campaign in 2006 and a trip to the Final Four, heights even Howland had never reached as a player or coach.

One of many things Howland does well as a coach is he matches a team's style of play with its personnel.  Last season with Jordan Farmar at the point and a strong defensive team, the Bruins played more of a half-court game and grinded out victory after victory.

This season with ultra-speedy Darren Collison at the point and Arron Afflalo and Josh Shipp on the wings, the Bruins are expected to run more frequently. 

How much more?  Both coach and players are saying they definitely plan to run more, but they also sing the chorus that defense wins championships.

While college basketball experts point out that NCAA champions typically score over 70 points a game - the Bruins averaged 67.7 points last season, Howland is quick to counter that NCAA champions usually hold opponents to below 40% shooting.

Taking this into account, the Bruins will run more this season, perhaps not as much as a Duke team but somewhere in between. It took Howland three seasons to instill a sense of toughness and defensive intensity into his Bruin teams - its highly unlikely he will ever move far away from this base. 

Overcoming the Loss of 3 NBA Players

To put simply, the Bruin's success last season was a result of a highly talented roster.  Even legendary Coach Wooden has always maintained his success was based upon first and foremost having talented players.

Of course, Coach Howland and his elite staff had much to do with the team's success, but it always appeared, despite a number of injuries to key players, the Bruins always seemed to have someone ready to step in to do the job.

Lose Josh Shipp your third leading scorer?  Insert fifth-year senior Cedric Bozeman.  Lorenzo Mata breaks a leg? A light bulb appears above Ryan Hollins head and he becomes MVP of the Oakland Regional.

One look at NBA opening night rosters finds Jordan Farmar, Cedric Bozeman, and Ryan Hollins all on NBA rosters - a testament to the level of talent on the Bruins last season and the fine job Coach Ben Howland and his assistants did in developing the players.

Despite the loss of key players, the 2006-07 Bruin team has reloaded with holdover stars who have improved their game over the summer and freshmen who should contribute this season.

The Freshmen

Three scholarship players, James Keefe (Santa Marguerita), Russell Westbrook (Leuzinger), Nikola Dragovic (Serbia-Montenegro), and a walk-on Mustafa Abdul-Hamid join the Bruins as freshmen this season.

James Keefe, a McDonald's All-American, is a solid, fundamentally sound player who should see plenty of minutes this season at the four spot.  Keefe is the type of player who finds as much joy in setting a solid pick or hauling down a rebound as he does in shooting the ball. 

During summer league play, while his teammates were shooting as soon as they touched the ball, it was Keefe doing the yeoman's work to open up those offensive opportunities.

At this point of his development, Keefe is more effective facing the basket and will give bigger opponents problems guarding him away from the basket due to his better than average ballhandling skills. 

At 6'8 220lb, Keefe should be able to handle most power forwards defensively on the block, but may have problems with the Jon Brockmans at this level.  Although not an outstanding shot-blocker, he plays excellent position defense and alters shots with his length and extension.

Keefe may be able to play center at UCLA some point in the future but he will need to add bulk to his frame and improve his offensive game in the post.

Russell Westbrook has played well during preseason practices and has impressed Coach Howland with his defense and his vocal presence on the floor.

"Russell does a better job calling out instructions on the floor especially on defense than his teammates ," Howland said, " and he's only a freshman."

Westbrooks defensive abilities and ballhandling skills at the point has given Howland the confidence to anoint him the primary back-up point-guard to start the season.

A 6'3 190lb guard, Westbrook shoots well from beyond the three-point arc, and also knows how to split the seams to finish at the basket.  During summer league, Westbrook showed an impressive ability to hang in the air and double-pump over bigger players at the rim.

It would not be a surprise to find both Collison and Westbrook in the backcourt together to give the Bruins a change of pace on offense, similar to what the they did last year with Collison and Farmar.

Although as good as Westbrook may be offensively, ultimately, it will be his attention and effort on defense that will earn him minutes with Coach Howland.

Nikola Dragovic, a 6'8 forward, comes to Westwood with extensive international experience.  He is an outstanding outside shooter, and although not quick, he has the savvy and size to get off most of his shots over most players from the perimeter.

The biggest limitation for Dragovic this season will be his defense. Can he defend?  In certain match-up situations against smaller teams, he may guard the opponent's power forward but in most cases he will be asked to guard a smaller and quicker wing player.

"Nikola is one of the most erect standing players I've ever coached," Howland said. "We've been working with him to get lower on both offense and defense to make him quicker."

If Dragovic can improve his defense this season he may be a big factor for the team.  If he doesn't, he may have difficulty finding minutes on the floor - especially with Shipp, Afflalo, and Roll able to fill minutes at the wing. 

Walk-on point-guard Mustafa Abdul-Hamid is a solid player who can step in to give quality minutes if either Collison or Westbrook are injured.  Abdul-Hamid is a good insurance policy to have considering the concerns over depth at the point during the summer.

Returning Players

Arron Afflalo returns for his third campaign at UCLA and the Bruins are happy to have him back.  Afflalo was the team's leading scorer (15.8) shooting 46% from the field last season.

He is the heart and soul and emotional leader on the team.  He starts the year as a second-team preseason All-American and Wooden Award candidate. 

His reputation as a defensive stopper is nationally known, and as Coach Howland's first UCLA recruit, Afflalo's intense effort on defense sets the perfect tone for the team. 

Without Cedric Bozeman this year to help guard the opponent's top offensive option, Afflalo will be tasked even more this year on defense.  But for those who have watched this young man for the last three years, he is up for any challenge.      

Josh Shipp returns to the team as a sophomore after receiving a medical red-shirt for a hip injury which caused him to miss all but four games last season.

After playing himself into shape during the summer, Shipp returns to the team in solid form and with an improved shot.  Howland has been pleased with the way Shipp has shot from the perimeter, and more importantly likes the fact Shipp has improved his ability of attacking the basket from the wing.

Despite standing 6'5, he is hands down the Bruin's best finisher around the basket.  He knows how to use his body in heavy traffic to create his shots.

Many of the younger UCLA players look up to Shipp as a leader, and he can help fill that role on a team which is void of any seniors this season.

Howland is a percentage coach.  He knows the statistics from each game and practice.  Not surprisingly when asked where he thought the offense would come from this season, he answered, " I expect Arron Afflalo, Josh Shipp, and Michael Roll to take most of the team's shots this season."

Most would agree about Afflalo and Shipp but certainly some might be surprised by Howland's mention of Michael Roll as the third main scoring option. 

However, Roll slimmed down and worked his body over the summer and has impressed Howland with his confidence and accuracy of his outside shooting.  With team managers meticulously keeping stats during practice, Roll is shooting over 60% on three-pointers in team scrimmages.

Although Roll still has difficulty creating his own shot off the dribble, his pin-point shooting will open up the inside and break zones, in addition, he is one of the better Bruins in feeding big men in the post.

Roll did an adequate job on defense last season, and with his slimmed body and added quickness, his defense should be improved. 

Sophomore Darren Collison inherits the starting point-guard spot.  Last season, his presence in the backcourt provided the Bruin offense with a change of pace with the team running more.  .

During the preseason, Howland has been urging Collison to push the ball up the court after each possession, including after made baskets.  However at some practices, Collison has been found walking the ball up the court to Howland's dismay.   

Collison's effectiveness on the team last season was due to the quickness he brought to the floor.  In order for the Bruins to excel this year, the team will need maximum intensity from Collison on both offensive and defensive end.  Howland considers Collison to be one of the best on ball defenders he has ever coached

Although he is only one piece to the team's puzzle, as Collison goes this season so will the Bruin's fortunes.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is no longer a secret.  After a sterling freshman campaign and NCAA tournament, Mbah a Moute was named a third-team preseason All-American.

Over the summer, Mbah a Moute worked on his ballhandling and shooting skills to enhance his game. However, Coach Howland has noted that the team needs more of what Mbah a Moute provided last year - All-American hustle and rebounding effort.

Howland feels Mbah a Moute is one of the team's best low post defenders.  With few big men on the team, Mbah a Moute's defense and rebounding at the four spot will be a key to the team's success.

Junior Lorenzo Mata may return from his knee injury sometime after the BYU regular season opener and possibly by the Maui Tournament.  Mata is the Bruins best shot-blocker and a good defensive rebounder. 

With Ryan Hollins lost to graduation, Mata is the Bruin's biggest player at 6'9 and will need to be a strong defensive presence in the post.  The Bruins need Mata to stay healthy if they expect to make a deep run into the tournament.

Alfred Aboya has been very active in preseason practices.  After being limited last season by a knee injury, Aboya is once again healthy and ready to wreck havoc in the paint and on the glass.

Aboya's biggest assets are his toughness, athleticism and non-stop activity on the floor, although it can lead to foul trouble, as it did at times last season, his presence on the court is invaluable.

He is not a strong low post scorer but will get his fair share off offensive rebounds and hustle points. With Mata hurt to start the season, Aboya will likely get the call to fill most of the minutes in the middle.

Ryan Wright has the chance for a break-out this season.  If he can learn to stay within the flow of the offense, play solid defense, and rebound, he should earn himself much playing time.

Despite playing limited minutes last season, Wright demonstrated he may very well be the best low post scorer on the team.  At this point, the Bruins lack a reliable low post scoring option, if Wright can assimilate himself on the floor better, he may play a big role on the team this season.

With the departure of Farmar, Hollins, and Bozeman, the 2006-07 UCLA team is a much different team.  They are quicker yet smaller team this year.  A better outside shooting team yet not as solid defensively. 

How it will turn out after the ball is rolled onto the court, we will find out soon.  The Bruins play their first exhibition game this Thursday against Cal Poly Pomona. 

Finally, it's time for UCLA Bruins basketball! 

Read BBR Preview from the 2005-06 season

(photo credit: AP)