Stillwell Is Only Part of UCLA’s Strong Team

Top-ranked UCLA picked up a big five-game victory against No. 3 Pepperdine Thursday night, but the Bruins did almost all of their damage without Tom Stillwell, one of the top middle blockers in the nation.

Stillwell, who went to Notre Dame High, was supplanted in the lineup for most of the match by dual-sport athlete Danny Farmer, who had a hot hand with 15 kills.

“Stillwell very infrequently sits on the bench, but tonight because Danny was so great, it was hard to get him back in,” UCLA Coach Al Scates said.

Stillwell, a senior, has led the nation in blocks per game the past two seasons. He had five kills, three blocks and three hitting errors in three games Thursday.

BASKETBALL

Hot Embers: Ventura High graduate Ember Brown, a member of The Times’ All-Ventura County basketball team in 1993-94 and ‘94-95, is the leading scorer for the Point Loma Nazarene women’s team.

Brown, a 5-foot-8 junior guard, is averaging 15.4 points and 5.4 rebounds, including a season-high 31-point performance Tuesday in a victory over The Master’s.

Brown transferred to Point Loma Nazarene from Long Beach State, where she averaged 12.2 points and 7.3 rebounds as a sophomore.