News Is Good on Farmar Injury

The news that a star point guard has an ankle injury is not likely to bring a smile to the face of his coach.

UCLA Coach Ben Howland found a positive about Jordan Farmar’s injury, however.

“It was his left ankle,” Howland said. “At least it wasn’t his right ankle, which he has already sprained four times this season. When you sprain it that many times, it can weaken the ligaments and make it tougher and tougher to come back.”

Howland got more good news later when X-rays were negative and Farmar was diagnosed with a mild ankle sprain.

Although he was hurt early in the second half, Farmar was able to play the rest of the game.

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Hassan Adams, Arizona’s offensive leader, took only three shots in the first half and didn’t score until the game was nearly 15 minutes old. By then, the Wildcats had fallen behind by 19.

What happened to him?

“I wish I knew,” said his coach, Lute Olson.

UCLA guard Arron Afflalo, the primary defender against Adams, said he wasn’t lulled into a sense of security by Adams’ lack of production.

“You can’t keep a good player down,” Afflalo said. “I knew the fact he hadn’t scored for the first 15 minutes meant nothing.”

Adams came back to score 12 in the second half for 19 total.

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Bruin senior guard Cedric Bozeman sat out eight games this season because of torn cartilage in the back of his left shoulder. In games he has played, the Bruins are 14-1.

“That says it all right there,” Howland said.