UCLA to Make Its Point

UCLA’s image isn’t exactly corporate under youthful Coach Steve Lavin, but the team overcame its first crisis of the season using a big-business approach.

Problem at point guard?

Form a committee.

Four players shared the position during a five-game winning streak, with Lavin bringing in coffee and doughnuts, supplying a flipchart and dimming lights for the overhead projector.

But these days any business worth its price-earnings ratio makes power-point presentations, and the Bruins anticipate freshman Cedric Bozeman bringing a complete cutting-edge arsenal when he returns today from a knee injury.

UCLA (7-2, 2-0 in Pacific 10 Conference play) is unbeaten since Bozeman, the starter at point guard the first four games, had surgery to remove torn cartilage Dec. 3.

But make no mistake, the Bruins want him back.

“Point guard by committee is the way it’s had to be,” Lavin said. “Without a prototypical guy at that spot, we’ve gone with several looks depending on who we are playing and who is playing well.

“With Cedric in the lineup, other players can return to more familiar roles. But it might take time for everything to mesh.”

Bozeman represents the future, and although the future is now for a senior-laden lineup, any chance of this team meeting Final Four expectations depends on his growing into the position and playing like a veteran in March.

Bozeman should play limited minutes in nonconference home games today against Columbia and Saturday against No. 20 Georgetown. His role when the No. 17 Bruins resume Pac-10 play Jan. 4 against Washington will depend on the strength of his knee and of his play.

One thing is certain: Trainers and coaches are impressed by Bozeman’s rapid recovery. He is running at full speed and accompanied the team to Washington and Washington State last week.

“I’m feeling good,” Bozeman said. “I’m ready.”

Maybe this time he will be. Bozeman, the most highly touted Bruin guard since Baron Davis, appeared tentative and overmatched in four games before being sidelined, leading some to question whether point guard is the right position for a silky 6-foot-6 player with more athleticism than quickness.

Conclusions are premature, however, because it turns out the knee injury occurred in the opener. Yes, quicker guards from Ball State and Pepperdine raced around him in Bruin losses. Yes, he averaged only 5.3 points and had 15 turnovers and 13 assists in 100 minutes. But he was playing hurt.

“I don’t think it’s fair to judge him yet because he hasn’t been at full strength,” senior Billy Knight said. “We’ve seen it in practice. He is a really good player.”

To replace Bozeman, Jason Kapono, the team’s top scorer, moved from wing to the point and showed steady improvement, although at times his scoring suffered.

Dijon Thompson had one particularly memorable performance, against UC Irvine, but otherwise was inconsistent. The 6-7 freshman is better suited as a wing.

Redshirt freshman Ryan Walcott, who might have been buried on the bench had Bozeman not been injured, emerged as a reliable reserve, although he is not the answer as a starter.

Even senior forward Matt Barnes brought the ball up the floor at times and initiated the offense from the top of the key, which, in effect, made him the point guard.

Barnes and Kapono welcomed the opportunity to handle and distribute the ball because they have one eye on the next level and want to prove their versatility.

At 6-7, Barnes is small for an NBA power forward and needs to demonstrate he can play on the wing. Kapono, perhaps the best pure shooter in the nation, can improve his stock by showing he is unselfish and capable of making his teammates better.

And they displayed enough of those qualities for UCLA to squeak past such inferior foes as UC Riverside, Irvine, Washington and Washington State. The Bruins’ best game without Bozeman was against Alabama at the Wooden Classic.

To think the victories will continue with Kapono, Barnes and Thompson out of position is not realistic, however. Not with the likes of Arizona, Stanford, California and Oregon coming up.

That’s why Bozeman must get up to speed quickly. UCLA’s best lineup is still unclear, an unsettling thought heading into January. A rotation of eight will become nine.

The way it will be is the way it began, before Bozeman’s injury.

“You wish every kid could play 30 minutes,” Lavin said. “But I’d rather have this problem than not enough depth. There are 200 minutes to go around and it is a challenge to distribute them in a way that is fair.”

Barnes, Dan Gadzuric, T.J. Cummings and freshman Andre Patterson will continue to play the two post positions. Knight, Kapono and Thompson will share the wings, with Barnes moving to small forward at times. Walcott will get a few minutes at the point.

Bozeman will play as much as he deserves, with Kapono poised in relief.

It is Lavin’s fervent hope that by March Bozeman will be feeding an open Kapono rather than Kapono feeding anybody else.

“I like the fact that we can wear people out, I like the fact we can go big or small, I like our versatility,” Lavin said. “When Ced is at full strength, we will be better. It plays to everyone’s strength.”

Enough of the the committee. It’s time to get down to business.