LAS VEGAS — It almost doesn’t matter, does it?
No matter what happens, no matter who gets hurt or whose shot isn’t falling or whatever else might be happening, as long as No. 10 and No. 24 and friends are on the floor, things will be fine for UCLA.
The Bruins lost another key player with 16:14 left in the second half of Friday night’s Pac-12 Tournament semifinal against Oregon, when Adem Bona, their 6-foot-10 freshman big man, fell on his left shoulder with what might have been either a dislocation or a separation. The Bruins were leading 44-36 at the time, and moments later it was 44-41.
And then Tyger Campbell, the aforementioned No. 10, began to channel Steph Curry, while Jaime Jaquez Jr., No. 24 in your game program, seemingly did everything else. And not only was there no crisis, but the top-seeded Bruins pulled away from fourth-seeded Oregon in the final 10 minutes for a resounding 75-56 victory and a berth in Saturday night’s championship game against Arizona, which eliminated Arizona State later Friday night, 78-59.
Bona had set a tone in the opening minutes, blocking Rivaldo Soares’ shot attempt for the first of his two blocks. He played 6-foot-11 Ducks center N’Faly Dante tough, having a large hand in Dante’s 3-for-11 shooting and eight points and, if not shutting down the paint, at least making things difficult.
When he left, trainer in tow and gingerly holding his left arm to protect his shoulder, others stepped up. That’s become the Bruin Way. Redshirt senior Kenneth Nwuba, also 6-10, blocked two shots himself in 8:13. David Singleton, 3 for 3 from the 3-point line for the night, knocked down an exclamation point of a 3-pointer from the right wing during a 17-6 run. Dylan Andrews, Will McClendon and Abramo Canka provided key minutes.
Campbell, after missing a 3-pointer shortly after Bona’s exit, made five of his next six and 6 of 9 in the final 16 minutes, 2 for 4 from 3-point territory and 4 of 5 mid-range jumpers, and added…
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