Rookies a Hit in Doubleheader

Welcome, said the soft lights upon the championship banners.

Welcome, said John Wooden in one corner, Ann Meyers Drysdale at the press table, the funky-shirted band in the stands.

Another sports winter officially began Tuesday like all winters begin in this town, with old Pauley opening up its arms to the tired, the cold, and those who couldn’t bear to watch our football teams take one more sorry snap if you paid them.

Two days after the Galaxy fell face first over our chance at breaking the 11-year pro championship-less streak, it was a good night to come to a place where such things still seem possible.

First up, the UCLA women’s team, ranked fourth nationally, this supposedly being the year they can hang with the big girls.

When they run on to the floor just before 6 p.m., and the UCLA band plays the fight song, 12 people stand.

When they fall behind Texas by 10 points with three minutes remaining, a couple ofhundred people groan.

But then they come back, press ing and diving and making the perfect pass, and soon thousands are standing and screaming.

Michelle Greco, a La Crescenta kid, makes a jumper with one second remaining to send it into overtime.

Nicole Kaczmarski, a New York freshman guard who could be the most fun thing on any local campus this winter, runs Texas into the ground in overtime, 84-77.

Last year’s national high school player of the year in one survey, Kaczmarski admits she has never met a shot she didn’t like (“Not really”) or a pass she wouldn’t attempt (“I like doing that”).

She finished with 12 shots, 12 points, five assists, seven turnovers, and you couldn’t take your eyes off her.

One moment she was dribbling her defender from halfcourt to the foul line, dribbling between her legs, faking left, going right, throwing in a rainbow jumper.

The next moment, she was throwing a pass off somebody’s head.

If the team is to advance past last year’s Final Eight and win a national title for the first time since 1978, it will only be if star Maylana Martin can return to full strength after back surgery.

But here’s guessing that some of the wins will be pulled from behind the back of the 5-foot-11 hotshot with the blond ponytail.

“I like Chamique Holdsclaw because she put some separation between herself and other players,” Kaczmarski said afterward in an accent as sharp as Long Island ice tea. “That’s what I want to do. Take my game to a different level.”

A different level already. She screamed at herself when she made mistake, massaged a teammate’s shoulders before an important foul shot, and danced around the court after only her second college game.

“I never thought we were going to lose,” she said. “I came here because I want to win a national championship.”

Next up, the UCLA men, ranked 12th, with six players as good as any other six teammates in the nation.

There would and should be more about the men’s game here. But the women, by pushing their game to overtime, ensured that their more famous brothers wouldn’t tip off until nearly 9 p.m., too late for most newspapers to print more than a running story.

This is why Tuesday was the only time this season that the men and women played a doubleheader.

Just another reason the women are considered the far smarter team.

So the men took the floor against outmanned Fairfield in their season debut and, well, looked precisely as they did in March against outmanned Detroit.

They would call a play, run down the court, and JaRon Rush would throw up a three-point basket.

They would call a play, run down, and Earl Watson would throw up a running one-hander.

Some of this freelancing could be blamed on an injury-plagued preseason.

Bruins fans, already justifiably impatient, are clearly hoping that all of it can be blamed on that.

In case there was any wonder whether the honeymoon has ended for this team’s veteran players and coaches, one otherwise reasonable-looking fan ended all doubt during the first-half lull.

The middle-aged Bruin supporter began heckling, but not at Fairfield. He was screaming at his own point guard.

“C’mon Watson, play basketball!” he yelled, his voice resonating through the half-empty house. “Geez, you stink! Watson, do something! Pass the ball!”

Watson finally turned to him and muttered, “Go home.”

That, of course, is not happening. There are plenty of good reasons to stick around here this winter.

Watson could eventually be one of them.

Kaczmarski’s male counterpart is one already.

You’ve never heard of her, but you’ve heard of him, Jason Kapono, the highly recruited freshman from Lakewood Artesia.

He is 6 feet 7, but at once plays as if he is three inches shorter and three inches taller.

He is only 18, but at times Tuesday, he was clearly the most basketball-savvy player on the court, making the textbook pass, playing fundamental defense, even calling the plays.

He helped the Bruins get comfortable early in the second half on the way to a victory.

All that, and he even got an important seal of approval.

“I’ve met him,” Kaczmarski said. “He’s a good kid.”

Two good kids. Pauley is open again for business, and possibilities are everywhere.

Bill Plaschke can be reached at his e-mail address: bill.plaschke@latimes.com.