Mike Bibby

Guard Mike Bibby, the best Arizona prep player since Sean Elliott in the 1980s, made an impact in his first Pacific 10 Conference game for the Arizona Wildcats. Bibby, a rare freshman starter for Arizona Coach Lute Olson, made two free throws with 3.6 seconds remaining Thursday night to give the ninth-ranked Wildcats an 81-80 victory over the California Bears at Tucson in the Pac-10 opener for both teams. "Mike Bibby is a special guy," Olson said.

Sacramento guard Mike Bibby is out and Cleveland forward Carlos Boozer could be in, continuing the dizzying series of changes to the roster of the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team. Bibby's withdrawal leaves two players -- Tim Duncan of San Antonio and Allen Iverson of Philadelphia -- from the original nine nominated to represent the U.S. in August at the Athens Games.

A kid who learns early to look after himself learns how to look after others. That's why Arizona coach Lute Olson left the ball in Mike Bibby's hands on a night when experience was screaming for something else. The Wildcats' best defender was in foul trouble early, their most reliable scorer couldn't get started, and still he left the 18-year-old freshman in charge. "I guess I was timid early. But I knew once I got into the flow," Bibby said, "my shot would fall.

Practice had been over for more than an hour. Reporters had come and gone, having filled their notebooks and tape recorders with the wit and wisdom of the Sacramento Kings. Players and coaches drifted away, toward home or, perhaps, a late lunch. Mike Bibby remained behind, standing slightly to the right of the top of the key, shooting baskets while a couple of team officials with can-we-go-now? looks on their faces rebounded.

Sacramento King point guard Mike Bibby finally showed a human side Friday. Bibby missed open shots, lost control of the basketball, lost track of his defensive assignment and failed to find an open teammate more than once during Game 6 of the Western Conference finals at Staples Center. Near the end, with the Lakers poised to even the series, Bibby's nose was bloodied by Kobe Bryant's elbow as the Laker guard broke away from Bibby toward an inbounds pass with 11.8 seconds left.

If Vancouver point guard Mike Bibby had remained in college, he would be starting his senior season with the Arizona Wildcats. Bibby, however, left for the NBA after his sophomore season and said he doesn't have any regrets. "Most people go to school to be something. Be a doctor or whatever, I went to school to be a basketball player," said Bibby, who had 10 points, six assists and five rebounds in the Grizzlies' 109-89 victory over the Clippers on Sunday.

Sacramento King point guard Mike Bibby shot jumpers at Arco Arena for the first time since Game 7 of the Western Conference finals this week and hopes to return to playing next week. Bibby has not played this season after surgery on Oct. 12 for a stress fracture in his right foot. X-rays Monday revealed he is healing normally. "Hopefully I'm back next week," Bibby said. "It's the best news I could have gotten. I'm almost healed."

The strange confluence of Chris Webber's past and present came down to the play that "never works." It would have worked this time if Webber had converted a layup. Webber came up short on a last-second layup after grabbing an offensive rebound off an intentionally missed free throw, spoiling his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night in a 101-99 loss to the Sacramento Kings. "For some reason, that play never works," Webber said of the intentional miss.

Oregon's intimate McArthur Court has a reputation of being one of the rowdiest and most intimidating arenas in the Pacific 10 Conference. USC Coach Henry Bibby said that the 75-year-old court's supporters leave much to be desired after the Trojans' 73-69 loss here Saturday. "These fans are the rudest I've ever seen in the world," Bibby said. "The things they chant are a total disgrace to the conference. The things they say are a total disgrace to the University of Oregon."