Hazzard Decides Lineup Changes Can Wait Awhile

There are a couple of lineup changes pending for UCLA’s basketball team. Both seem inevitable, but UCLA Coach Walt Hazzard is not sure that the time is right.

He can afford to ponder the situation, with something of a break in the schedule this week before meeting nationally ranked St. John’s on Dec. 14.

The Bruins, 2-1 after winning two games at Pauley Pavilion last weekend, will be at home again Saturday night to play Cal State Long Beach.

It is possible that 6-foot 7-inch sophomore Craig Jackson will be in the starting lineup by then in place of 6-10 junior Jack Haley.

It is not likely, however, that freshman guard Pooh Richardson will have replaced junior Corey Gaines. Gaines is putting up too much of a fight.

“Jerome Richardson can really play,” Hazzard said. “He can play basketball. But Corey’s making it very difficult for me to just sit him down.

“Corey has been consistent. He’s learned to work with Pooh. Montel (Hatcher) is still a little behind because of the practices he missed with his injury. But I expect him to do better.

“It’s a nice problem to have, three players who can play that well.”

Richardson is averaging 24 minutes a game with an average of 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists.

Hazzard said: “I expected him to come in and take command like this. He’s a born leader. Sometimes I have to tell him to shut up so I can talk. . . . He’s a pleasure to watch. He’s played a lot of basketball with older players, in basketball games and in pickup games over the summer, against the pros.

“Last summer, after about a week, Magic Johnson took Pooh under his wing and said, ‘Come here, little buddy. You’re my project for the next four years.’ ”

Jackson is another player who is out of a starting position but who has been getting plenty of playing time. When counting the positives from last weekend, Hazzard listed the emergence of Jackson and added: “Thank, God.”

Jackson lost the starting forward spot to Kelvin Butler, but has averaged 25 minutes a game backing up both Butler and Haley.

“It may help Jack to come off the bench,” Hazzard said. “He seems so tense and so uptight in a starting position. . . . We’re going to need Jack Haley. He’s worked hard and I don’t want to destroy him right now. We need to be patient with him. He’s making a great effort.

“I think the Bruin fans have been supportive and are responding to his efforts. He’ll come around. Until then, I expect Craig Jackson to get the majority of minutes.”

The Bruins are going to have to rely, a lot, on their smaller lineup.

Hazzard said: “By the time we get into conference play I think we’ll be very, very competitive.