‘Bo IV’ to Play in Loyola Gym : College Basketball: A summer of intensive rehabilitation has Kimble ready for a final season. His aim: Impress NBA scouts and spark the Lions’ high-powered attack.

Like a fictional Philadelphia predecessor--Rocky--Bo Kimble returned to his roots this summer and virtually lived in an inner-city gym, preparing for the biggest challenge of his career--a comeback after an injury.

In the first installment of “Bo,” the cocky kid from Philly came West with his high school buddy, Hank Gathers, averaged more than 12 points for USC and made the Pacific 10 all-freshman team.

But there was no happy ending. Kimble and Gathers left USC when it hired Coach George Raveling, transferring to Loyola Marymount.

“Bo II” got off to a slow start but had a finish worthy of Sylvester Stallone. After missing much of the first month with a broken kneecap, Kimble came back and helped the Lions win 28 games, go undefeated in the West Coast Athletic Conference, upset Wyoming in the NCAA tournament and crack the top 20. Kimble led the WCAC in scoring in conference games, with 32 and 36 points in the two showdowns with rival Pepperdine.

But “Bo III” found Kimble up against more adversity, with no one to slap some sense into him. Kimble slacked off on his knee exercises, and when practice began last fall, the joint became even more tender.

After hobbling through a few games, Kimble underwent arthroscopic surgery and missed 13 games. Even though he came back and averaged nearly 17 points--he scored 40 against Gonzaga--he clearly favored the leg and was rarely as dominant as he had been. In the season finale he made only seven of 23 shots as Arkansas ousted the Lions from the NCAA tournament in the first round.

This was a story that begged for one more sequel. So, in this corner, at 6-foot-5, weighing 190 pounds, wearing the white trunks with the crimson and Columbia blue trim--it’s “Bo IV.”

Older, wiser and uninjured for perhaps the first time with Loyola, Kimble has already scripted its finish in his mind.

“I know we’re gonna have a great season,” he said. “I’m thankful I got another shot to come back. A lot of guys get hurt, they don’t . . . get another chance.

“We have a lot to prove this year. There will be some shockers (upsets) this year. Now my main focus is for Loyola to win games. I hope to (get drafted) in the first round. I’m close enough now. If I put together a good year I shouldn’t have a hard time making (the NBA). Eventually I will be playing in the NBA. My future is very promising. In Philly, they’ve seen I’ve been working on my game. Bo’s back--everyone knows Bo’s back.”

The comeback trail starts with a heavyweight opponent Wednesday, an opening-round game in the Preseason National Invitation Tournament at Nevada Las Vegas. It’s a matchup of the two most prolific scoring programs in NCAA history.

“We want Vegas because they run like us,” Kimble said. “I’m excited. Let’s see who runs the most.”

In scrimmages and last week’s exhibition against the Australian national team, a multifaceted Kimble has been on display--not only showing his trademark high-arching shots from three-point range, but driving inside with authority, rebounding and passing.

Even more impressive, perhaps, is Kimble’s new maturity and serious approach. Never considered a wallflower, the engaging Kimble described his summer of discontent.

“I made 500 to 1,000 jump shots every day, three-pointers only. I lifted weights on my knee. I did upper-body workouts. I hung out at the 12th Street Gym (in Philadelphia). I was there four to five hours every day unless I had a game. I was focused. I didn’t want to do anything (else). I was a boring person. People didn’t know what came over me.”

“Bo did everything he was supposed to this summer; you couldn’t ask anything more,” Loyola trainer Chip Schaefer said. “He worked hard. I’m seeing a Bo Kimble I haven’t seen, functioning at a higher level than I’ve ever seen.”

Lion Coach Paul Westhead said: “I can’t remember in the last two years seeing Bo at practice Monday, working on something Tuesday and seeing it better on Thursday. He’s either been injured and out or rehabilitating. Because of injury, he’s always been trying to do his best, knowing he’s not fully healthy. It becomes a situation where you kind of pick and choose, out of fear of reinjury. He’s now back to his more natural approach to the game.”

It’s not as if Kimble’s game has been weak. After teaming with Gathers to win two Philadelphia city championships at Dobbins Tech, he came to California and has averaged 16.9 points in three collegiate seasons--19.9 at Loyola--without ever having started more than 18 games. He goes into the season with 1,219 points and has made 107 three-pointers in two seasons at Loyola.

But there’s more, says Kimble, more even than Westhead knows.

Kimble led Philadelphia’s prestigious Sonny Hill Summer League in scoring this year, eclipsing consensus All-American Lionel Simmons of LaSalle among others. He returned to Loyola determined to show an all-around pro-style game, not just score. If he’s drawing defenses, he helps create openings for Jeff Fryer, the team’s other three-point specialist, and Gathers, who gets his points inside. In one game last season, the trio combined for 106 points.

“Despite his reputation for being a shooter with no conscience, that’s not close to the truth,” Westhead said. “He loves to shoot, but he sees things and makes timely passes. He has that knack. He’s not saying, ‘I have to get my shots.’ We all recognize he’s a very good offensive player.

“We’ve had a number of ongoing talks . . . about things we need from him--a timely amount of rebounds. There’s no need to talk about the rainbow jump shots. An area (where) he can have great impact for us and himself is to show consistency on the defensive end. In practice, it’s the best I’ve seen him at both ends. I think some of (his maturity) might be the result of the injury. He’s seen things from a stop position. That may be one of the only pluses.”

Kimble said that sitting had indeed been educational.

“It seems like I’ve been in school longer than I have,” he said. “I really learned a lot sitting on the sideline. I’ve seen if I could drive, it would make it better for everyone.

“When I am penetrating to the basket, I’m at my best. The reason I have not been driving in the past was, I was hurt. Now I’m able to finish off the play. I make the defense think about me, and that gets Fryer and Hank more shots.

“Everyone’s thinking ‘Hank, Hank, Hank,’ and he deserved it after the year he had. Now it’s time for me to show what I can really do. L.A. and the scouts will get a chance to see Hank and me at the top of our games. I don’t think I can be stopped. The only person who knows how much more I can give is Hank. Maybe Coach Westhead has a clue.”

Gathers said: “I know nobody has seen Bo at full strength. There’s gonna be some surprises for teams that think they can double- or triple-team me. He’s gonna kill ‘em.

“He has a barrage of moves down low. He’s actually passing the ball more. Since ninth grade, I’ve been on Bo’s back to pass more--he draws defenses. Bo’s gonna do his thing. I’ve just got to go to the glass. That’s what I do anyway.”

Fryer concurred.

“(Bo) helps me,” he said. “That’s one more guy (defenses) have to concentrate on. That gets me more open shots. He complements my game and I complement his. There’s no fight to get more shots. I’m not worried about being overshadowed. I want to win games. He makes us a lot better, being 100%.”

Kimble said: “I want to get a lot of assists. I’ll know when it’s time to turn it on. I think I can score every time I touch the ball. I could be selfish, but I want it to be fun for all the guys. I want the burden of leadership to fall on me. If we win games, everything else will take place for my career.”

Said Westhead: “His game is nearing its high level everyone expected. The thing I think he may need is a handful of games. What you have seen of Bo has been, perhaps, a shadow.”

But that’s a different movie.