Dan Gadzuric

Dan Gadzuric grew up wanting nothing more than to lie flat on his back with a wrench in his hand as an automobiel werktuigkundige in Den Haag, Holland. He would learn to repair engines, become an auto mechanic and escape the drug- and gang-saturated neighborhood in his roughhewn oceanfront hometown. A commendable plan, but one that Gadzuric outgrew. It was clear there was no creeper in his future the first time he stepped onto a basketball court at 15, already measuring bumper to bumper.

Dan Gadzuric grew up wanting nothing more than to lie flat on his back with a wrench in his hand as an automobiel werktuigkundige in Den Haag, Holland. He would learn to repair engines, become an auto mechanic and escape the drug- and gang-saturated neighborhood in his roughhewn oceanfront hometown. A commendable plan, but one that Gadzuric outgrew. It was clear there was no creeper in his future the first time he stepped onto a basketball court at 15, already measuring bumper to bumper.

* Saturday at Washington, 3 p.m., Fox Sports Net--Junior center Dan Gadzuric contributed 19 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks in a conference-opening victory over the Huskies.

Of course, UCLA will get its bid to the NCAA men's basketball tournament today. The Bruins will probably be seeded between No. 7 and No. 10. They will continue playing games even though all indications are that they have no real interest in doing so. Just saying things will be better doesn't make it so. Of course, the numbers say UCLA deserves its bid. Its RPI, that sacrosanct and mysterious computer ranking the NCAA selection committee counts on...

Dan Gadzuric, a 6-foot-11 basketball center, held a news conference Monday in Byfield, Mass., announcing his decision to attend UCLA, the Boston Globe reported. Gadzuric grew up in the Netherlands and played at Governor Dummer Academy in Massachusetts. "Before I chose college over the NBA, I wanted to find out where I'd be ranked at," Gadzuric said in a Globe report. "I figured out I'd be drafted somewhere between 10 and 15."

The return of Dan Gadzuric to action Thursday at Washington State probably will be followed by his return to the starting lineup Sunday at Washington. The only thing that would derail that plan is if the freshman center has additional swelling or pain in his right ankle. In Pullman, there were few signs of trouble. After missing the previous week, part of which was spent with the foot in a walking boot, Gadzuric played 21 minutes against the Cougars.

UCLA opened its season with a 95-89 exhibition victory over the California All-Stars before 6,094 at Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday. Freshman JaRon Rush scored 17 points in 25 minutes and Jerome Moiso made six of seven shots en route to 13 points and seven rebounds. Three prominent Bruins sat out: Baron Davis, who is waiting to be cleared to return to full workouts after knee surgery; Rico Hines because of a sprained left knee and Dan Gadzuric because of tendinitis in both knees.

The doctor who performed the operation on Dan Gadzuric said the freshman center's season-long problem with tendinitis in both knees did not weaken the joints and contribute to the injury that will sideline him for the season. "The only connection between the injury and the tendinitis is that the tendinitis will heal during the recuperation," Dr. Matthew S. Shapiro said of Friday's 90-minute surgery to repair cartilage in the left knee. Gadzuric is trying to take that as some comfort.

Starting center Dan Gadzuric accompanied the Bruins to Louisville on Thursday, a day earlier than usual for a Saturday game to compensate for the 10 a.m. PST tipoff, but is listed as doubtful because of a sprained right ankle suffered against USC. Gadzuric, who has been bothered by tendinitis in both knees all season, was hurt while trying to chase down Trojan Brian Scalabrine with about six minutes left Wednesday at the Sports Arena.

The promising start to the UCLA career of freshman center Dan Gadzuric has been tempered by concern over tendinitis in his left knee, which limited him to 17 minutes in all and only six in the second half Thursday against Santa Clara. Gadzuric scored the Bruins' first eight points in the season-opening 89-76 victory but managed only two more shots.

This was Dan Gadzuric's game. UCLA ran a motion offense, four perimeter players and Gadzuric down low with room to roam because Arizona defenders had to fight through all the movement to get to Gadzuric. The offense was designed for Gadzuric. Freedom is a wonderful thing and with Gadzuric on the move, running to the ball, slamming on the fly, rebounding and frolicking in the lane as if he was a kid who'd just been told school was canceled because of snow, he took advantage. Gadzuric had 22 points and 16 rebounds and was the big difference in UCLA's 77-76 victory against Arizona.

ROSTER AT A GLANCE MATT BARNES (Forward) No. 23, 6-7, 235, Senior The front man on the full-court press and a powerful complement to Dan Gadzuric on the boards, Barnes is aggressive and versatile. For first time in his career he had high-scoring games, including 32 against Stanford and 26 against Oregon. CEDRIC BOZEMAN (Guard) No. 21, 6-6, 193, Freshman As rangy and smooth as Earl Watson was quick and aggressive, the McDonald's All-American is expected to make an immediate impact.

UCLA center Dan Gadzuric announced Tuesday he plans to stay for his senior season, instead of declaring for the NBA draft a year early. "Pretty much the deciding factor was I wanted to concentrate on college and not the workouts and stuff like that," he said. "Prove to myself that I could be a top prospect for the NBA." His decision does not come as a surprise. The day after UCLA lost to Duke in the NCAA tournament, he said the odds of his staying in school were "better than 50-50."

Earl Watson is gone. Jason Kapono is probably on his way out. And junior center Dan Gadzuric could be joining them. Will Gadzuric stick around for another season of UCLA basketball or turn pro? That's one of the biggest questions in the wake of the Bruins' 76-63 loss to Duke in an East Regional semifinal. "I think Dan might test the [NBA] market, kind of like Jason did last year, and see where he's at," UCLA assistant coach Jim Saia said Friday.

Take heart, UCLA. You have some new fans on the West Coast, fans who understand what it takes to beat Duke. "I'm rooting for UCLA," said Stanford forward Jarron Collins, whose team is preparing to face Cincinnati in a West Regional semifinal. Stanford guard Mike McDonald had encouraging words for the Bruins too. "UCLA is real athletic, so I think they have a great chance to beat Duke," he said. "I think Matt Barnes can do a good job on [Shane] Battier." This should mean something to the Bruins.

* Saturday at Washington, 3 p.m., Fox Sports Net--Junior center Dan Gadzuric contributed 19 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks in a conference-opening victory over the Huskies.

NBA Commissioner David Stern and union director Billy Hunter have held secret meetings. The league has threatened to cancel the entire season if an agreement is not reached soon. And UCLA center Dan Gadzuric is just glad to be playing college basketball. Last spring, before he came to UCLA, Gadzuric was considered a candidate to make himself available for the NBA draft.

ROSTER AT A GLANCE MATT BARNES (Forward) No. 23, 6-7, 235, Senior The front man on the full-court press and a powerful complement to Dan Gadzuric on the boards, Barnes is aggressive and versatile. For first time in his career he had high-scoring games, including 32 against Stanford and 26 against Oregon. CEDRIC BOZEMAN (Guard) No. 21, 6-6, 193, Freshman As rangy and smooth as Earl Watson was quick and aggressive, the McDonald's All-American is expected to make an immediate impact.

Dan Gadzuric has the bite. Now, he just needs the bark to go along with it. That's what UCLA basketball players think when it comes to their 6-foot-11 junior center. They want him to scream when he throws down a thunderous dunk, or howl with delight when he swats a shot into the third row. "When teams find out he doesn't yell, they just attack him," guard Billy Knight said.

It was still a mystery, even a day later. How could Dan Gadzuric, with a severe ankle sprain, go from being very doubtful for Thursday's game against No. 8 Arizona to having the biggest game of his career in the Bruins' 79-77 overtime victory over the Wildcats? Trainer Mark Schoen said there wasn't a chance the junior center would play until early Thursday during a shoot-around. "He felt good and he had good strength," said Schoen, who was concerned about Gadzuric coming back too soon.