Irvine’s Efevberha Learns to Manage Energy

John Wooden’s quote “Be quick, but don’t hurry” continues to resonate with those who must learn the nuances between high school and college basketball.

UC Irvine sophomore Mike Efevberha can be a case study. The guard’s athletic ability and energetic play translated into some exciting moments his freshman season, but it also too often resulted in forced shots and missed defensive assignments.

One of those moments where potential is realized came last week in a game against Arkansas Monticello, when Efevberha made 14 of 23 shots, including seven of 12 from three-point range, to finish with a career-high 37 points.

“Coach [Pat Douglass] has asked me to mellow a little bit,” Efevberha said. “Usually I scream and get really hyped up for a game, but sometimes that makes me go out too hard. I’m learning how to control that energy and be more effective.”

Efevberha scored the most points by an Irvine player since Jerry Green had 41 against Pepperdine in 2001.

“We weren’t really trying to get him the ball,” Douglass said. “They were in a zone the entire game. They were trying to take away the baseline. He had a lot of shots, and he knocked them down.”

Douglass was more impressed with Efevberha’s defense on Arkansas Monticello’s Nate Newell, who had 25 points against Fresno State but was held without a field goal against the Anteaters.

*

Branduinn Fullove, last season’s Big West Conference player of the year, has not played for UC Santa Barbara because of a sprained left ankle he suffered Nov. 12 in an exhibition.

Senior guard Nick Jones is expected to return to the Gaucho lineup Dec. 21 against Alabama State after completing his eight-game suspension for playing in an unsanctioned summer league in Mexico.

West Coast Conference

Looking to end a three-game losing streak, Pepperdine Coach Paul Westphal shook things up Saturday by starting walk-on forward Keith Jarbo and reserve center Derick Grubb against Long Beach State.

The maneuver worked in an 87-73 victory. Jarbo charged up the Firestone Fieldhouse crowd with four rebounds, a block and a steal while receiving a couple of floor burns in 20 minutes; Grubb had six points and five rebounds in 18 minutes.

“The five most gifted basketball players don’t always make the best team,” said Westphal, whose team is 2-4. “We have some real athletic players, but they got outrebounded five games in a row. I believe in being patient and giving people a chance, but stats don’t lie in that regard.”

Westphal said junior transfer Yakhouba Diawara, a potential starter, may be close to joining the lineup. Pepperdine had voluntarily benched the 6-foot-7 forward while the NCAA investigated whether he had played with professionals in a league in his native France.

*

Loyola Marymount faces UCLA on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion. The Lions haven’t defeated the Bruins since 1941.