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Impressive freshman Lonzo Ball has unbeaten UCLA off to a fast start
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Only one third of the Honda Center’s lower bowl was full on Sunday night when UCLA faced its first big test of the new college basketball season.
Those fans who refused to brave Southern California’s traffic-clogged highways missed another memorable performance from the Bruins’ star freshman.
On a night when his jumper was initially off target and his passes were occasionally too casual, Lonzo Ball was still easily the best player on either team. Ball scored 16 points, dished out 10 assists and blocked three shots to lead UCLA to a 74-67 victory over Texas A&M in the title game of the Wooden Legacy Tournament.
While Ball started 1-for-7 from the field and failed to draw iron on a pair of first-half jump shots, his shooting touch returned to him at the best possible time. The 6-foot-6 McDonald’s All-American buried a step-back 3-pointer from behind the NBA line after Texas A&M rallied to take a brief one-point lead with three minutes to go.
“That’s what great players do,” UCLA coach Steve Alford said. “You have to have a quick memory. We call it Etch-a-Sketch. You miss a couple shots, you’ve got to forget about it. You make a couple bad plays, you’ve got to forget about it. You’ve just got to keep playing the game you love.”
By exceeding his season averages against the most formidable defense he’s faced so far this season, Ball took another step toward proving he can succeed in a conventional system.
Ball became a five-star prospect and projected lottery pick as the centerpiece of an unorthodox, high-speed attack favored by his father’s AAU team and by Chino Hills High School. He and younger brothers LiAngelo and LaMelo helped Chino Hills exceed 100 points 18 times last year en route to a state championship in California’s toughest division.
Questions abounded entering the season whether Ball’s game would translate at UCLA, but so far he has thrived with the Bruins. Not only is he averaging 16.0 points and a national-best 9.0 assists, he also has shown better shot selection than in high school and demonstrated the potential to one day become a standout perimeter defender.
“He’s a difference maker for them on the perimeter,” Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy said. “I don’t know if they’ve had that the last year or two. He can go make a play for somebody else and he can make a play for himself.”
While Ball’s pinpoint passes and impeccable court vision typically draw the most praise, that undersells his impact on the UCLA program. The Bruins have adopted Ball’s personality, a big reason they’re poised to bounce back from last year’s disappointing 15-17 season.
No longer are they sometimes content to play methodically. Now they look to strike in transition whenever possible.
No longer do they allow the ball stick too long in any single player’s hands. Now they move it quickly until an open shot materializes.
No longer are they as susceptible to ill-timed stretches of apathy. Now they’re displaying poise and competitiveness late in close games.
With Ball at point guard and Aaron Holiday maturing into a more-than-capable backup, seniors Bryce Alford and Isaac Hamilton are able to play off ball, run off screens and do what they do best. Hamilton scored all of his team-high 17 points in the first half against Texas A&M and Alford had all 13 of his points in the second half including a huge 3-pointer in the final minute that helped put the Aggies away for good.
“When the ball moves, everyone gets good shots,” Hamilton said. “It makes the game way easier for me. I don’t have to do much. I just pass, cut and those guys make the plays.”
Pair that perimeter corps with a frontcourt that includes McDonald’s All-American forward T.J. Leaf, skilled center Thomas Welsh and defensive specialist Ike Anigbogu, and UCLA has a roster capable of contending in the Pac-12 and perhaps even making a Final Four push. The Bruins will get a better idea of where they stand nationally next Saturday when they visit Rupp Arena to take on Kentucky in a matchup of blue bloods.
Before UCLA could look ahead to Kentucky, however, the Bruins had to overcome the length and athleticism of Texas A&M. Mission accomplished thanks to the influence of a heralded freshman and the contributions of his supporting cast.
“Coach talked about how this is our tournament and it has our name on it,” Ball said. “It’s the first championship that was available for us to get, and we got it.”
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
