Bruin Fans Enjoy a Taste of O’Bannon : UCLA: He finally makes his debut in 99-71 victory over Oregon, playing six minutes and getting an ovation.

Ed O’Bannon’s long-awaited UCLA debut brought life Thursday night to what was otherwise a routine 99-71 Bruin victory over Oregon.

In perhaps the most eagerly anticipated start in Westwood since Bill Walton lined up for the center jump against The Citadel in the first game of his sophomore season more than 20 years ago, O’Bannon played only six minutes, scoring two points and taking three rebounds, but it didn’t matter to a near-capacity crowd of 12,102 at Pauley Pavilion.

Bruin fans had waited more than a year for even a glimpse of O’Bannon, who was sidelined all of last season after seriously injuring his left knee during a pickup game at UCLA on Oct. 9, 1990.

They greeted his first appearance with a standing ovation.

O’Bannon, generally regarded as one of the nation’s top two or three college prospects as a senior at Lakewood Artesia High two seasons ago, underwent reconstructive surgery nine days after he was injured.

His left knee, covered in a heavy brace in his debut, has required arthroscopic surgery twice since, the last time on Nov. 5, 1991.

So, for UCLA fans, it was great to see him on the court.

“That was a warm welcome,” O’Bannon said later, smiling.

Said teammate Mitchell Butler: “It was emotional. I looked at him and it seemed like his eyes were getting teary.

“I looked at him and I winked. In my head, I was thinking, ‘This is what you’ve been waiting for. Let’s get down to business.’ ”

O’Bannon’s brief appearance overshadowed excellent games by Butler, who made seven of nine shots and scored 15 points in 21 minutes; and sophomore center Rodney Zimmerman, who scored a career-high 13 points, making all six of his shots, and took nine rebounds in 28 minutes.

Tracy Murray scored 21 points and Don MacLean scored 16 for the second-ranked Bruins, who shot 61.9% to improve their record to 11-0 overall, 3-0 in the Pacific 10 Conference.

But the center of attention was O’Bannon, a 6-foot-8 second-year freshman who was expected to be a four-year starter for the Bruins after he reconsidered an oral commitment to Nevada Las Vegas.

O’Bannon has yet to participate in a full practice with the Bruins, but he was cleared to make a brief appearance by UCLA doctors after scrimmaging for 10 minutes on Tuesday and taking part in contact drills on Wednesday.

He was given word of his clearance Thursday morning.

He was given a standing ovation before he even entered the game, the crowd saluting him as he made his way to the scorer’s table.

After shaking hands with Oregon Coach Don Monson, O’Bannon took the floor with 10:25 to play in the first half, replacing MacLean.

“YES, REALLY IT’S HIM,” read the official play-by-play.

Clearly delighted to be on the floor, O’Bannon took his first rebound on a missed free throw by Oregon’s Chuck Patterson.

At the other end, he got his first assist, taking the ball in the post and rifling a pass to Butler for a dunk. He later drew a foul, scoring his first point on a free throw.

Each milestone was greeted with the chant, “Ed-O, Ed-O.”

In the second half, he brought the crowd to its feet again, blocking a shot by Oregon’s 7-foot center, Chuck Patterson, and leading a fast break.

O’Bannon missed his only shot, but made another free throw.

Afterward, he stood for a television interview, beaming.

“My knee felt great,” he said. “It’s getting stronger. I need to get my wind, but things are rolling and I’m looking to the future.”

Bruin Notes

Oregon, which got 20 points from Antoine Stoudamire, is 5-7 overall, 1-2 in the Pac-10. . . . Five of UCLA’s nine remaining home games--against Oregon State, USC, Washington State, Duke and Arizona--are sold out, and Bruin officials expect the other four to sell out, too. . . . UCLA officials hope to go before the UC Board of Regents in May with a plan that would increase the capacity of Pauley Pavilion by as many as 1,500 with the addition of club seating and private suites.

* ARIZONA LOSES

Washington upsets the No. 7 Wildcats in the final second, 62-60. C6

* A HOT HAND

Harold Miner scores 37 points in USC’s 90-73 win over Oregon State. C6