Players Try the Power of Positive Thinking
A 90-minute team meeting is a far cry from 40 minutes of sustained effort on the court, but Bruin players believe their long talk might result in improved performance.
“A lot of people got a lot of things off their chest,” senior guard Ray Young said.
Nearly every player voiced an opinion about how to turn around a dismal season.
UCLA is 4-7 and lost last week to USC and St. John’s. The Bruins are 2-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference.
“We talked about looking out for each other instead of ourselves,” Young said.
“Everybody is trying to put the whole thing on their shoulders. We realize we can help each other by playing as a team.”
After the losses, sophomores Cedric Bozeman and Dijon Thompson expressed frustration at the team’s lack of direction. Both players said Tuesday they would approach games this week against Arizona State and Arizona in a positive fashion.
Bozeman also denied a report that he nearly quit after two exhibition losses.
“I was never serious about leaving the team,” he said. “This is where I want to go to school and this is where I’m going to stay.”
Many players are coming to terms with a season that now must be measured in small victories.
“A lot of people want to see us fail,” guard Jon Crispin said. “It’s not about how far we can go in the NCAA tournament. It’s about pride.”
-- Steve Henson
