Bozeman Cleared to Return

Cedric Bozeman is coming back. Again.

The UCLA forward, who suffered torn cartilage in the back of his left shoulder last month, has been medically cleared to play Thursday at Oregon.

“Every day, I feel a little better,” Bozeman said. “I’m not 100%, but I feel I can help the team.”

This is not the first time the words “comeback” and “Bozeman” have appeared in the same sentence in his five seasons at UCLA.

The 6-foot-6 senior guard has suffered several knee and shoulder injuries, the most serious a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee before last season. The starting point guard in his first three seasons, Bozeman was granted redshirt status and spent last season rehabilitating.

When he returned, bursting with the energy stored over a frustrating year of inactivity, Bozeman was moved from the point to the wing. It seemed a perfect fit. Jordan Farmar had won the starting job at the point in his absence, and Bozeman, with his size and defensive ability, was needed as a wing to replace Josh Shipp, who was recovering from hip surgery.

But on Dec. 27, tucking his arm into his chest and sticking his elbow out while guarding a teammate in practice, Bozeman suffered the shoulder tear.

He was told the injury could be season-ending, and thus college career-ending for Bozeman, whose chances of getting yet another redshirt year were remote.

“I took it a day at a time,” Bozeman said, “but I did plan on coming back.”

Although Bozeman said he still has some pain in his shoulder, his bigger problem is tendinitis in his right knee where last year’s surgery was performed. .

Bruin Coach Ben Howland vowed not to play Bozeman more than eight to 10 minutes a half on Thursday. And Bozeman says he’ll play it smart.

“No left-handed tomahawk dunks,” he said.

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Darren Collison was one of only two players on the UCLA roster with significant playing time who had not been injured. Michael Roll was the other.

Now there is one.

Collison suffered a sprained left ankle Saturday against West Virginia. Although he is wearing a walking boot, X-rays were negative and Howland says he expects Collison to play at Oregon.