New Guy Would Be a Big Help

It was meant as a joke. But Ben Howland wasn’t laughing.

That’s understandable. There isn’t much for the UCLA basketball coach to smile about these days when the subject is his center position.

At his weekly news conference Tuesday, Howland announced that Marko Spica, of Serbia and Montenegro, a 6-foot-8 1/2 , 230-pounder, has signed a letter of intent to attend UCLA.

Any chance he could suit up this season, a reporter asked facetiously?

“We could,” Howland said in earnestness, before going on to concede he’d be happy if all the paperwork could be completed soon enough for Spica to enroll in the spring.

“He is skilled,” Howland said. “He can score down low. He can step out and shoot. He rebounds, he blocks out and he plays physical.”

Sounds just like what the Bruins need.

What they have instead are several big bodies in the trainer’s room and several more struggling on the court.

Senior Michael Fey, Howland’s first choice in the middle, has been forced to the sidelines with one injury after another. He is out with a right ankle sprain that could keep him out of Saturday’s game against Nevada in the John Wooden Classic at the Arrowhead Pond.

Howland hopes to have sophomore center Lorenzo Mata (concussion) available for Saturday’s game.

Injuries have not held back senior center Ryan Hollins. His shooting ability has.

“Ryan has done a decent job defensively,” Howland said. “He’s blocked some shots. He just has a hard time scoring. He gets knocked off balance very easily inside. And that really throws him off. It’s a physical game down low.”

Hollins is averaging 4.6 points and shooting 40%.

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There is reason for optimism about the return of projected starter Josh Shipp, who had an arthroscopic hip procedure in September. The sophomore forward will be allowed to start one-on-one drills next week and perhaps take part in a full practice the following week.