McCoy comes alive to defy critics

McCoy comes alive to defy critics

Exceptional freshman ends season lull to lead Bruins on journey
to NCAA tourney

By Melissa Anderson

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

He’s in a slump. It’s just a mid-season lull. All freshmen go
through these phases.

Jelani McCoy has heard all of the excuses, but he’s not buying
them.

As the starting center for the UCLA men’s basketball team, McCoy
is having a stellar freshman campaign by any standard. Leading the
Pacific 10 in field goal percentage, he has already broken the UCLA
record for blocks in a season – with six games to go.

Against Maryland in the Wooden Classic, McCoy broke the
conference record for blocks in a game (11) and recorded UCLA’s
first-ever triple double.

Then, in late January, after scoring just five points and
grabbing no rebounds in UCLA’s 78-76 loss to Louisville, the
questions started flying and excuses were produced en masse.

And so, when the Bruin starters were booed as they took the
court in the second half against Oregon State two games later,
McCoy seemed to hit bottom.

His numbers consisted of an abysmal zero points and two rebounds
and his comments to media bashing the Pauley Pavilion crowd began
to sound like, well, more excuses.

When you ask the 6-foot-912-inch freshman what contributed to
his decline in numbers, however, you hear a different story. One
that is probably closer to the truth than anything contrived by the
media.

"I think a lot of teams started adjusting to what I was doing,"
McCoy said. "Changing their offense, stop attacking the basket and
that’s where those couple of games happened.

"I don’t think I had a freshman slump at all. I worked too hard
this year for me to hit a slump, so I don’t think it was a slump at
all."

Judging by his most recent performances against the Arizona
schools last weekend, whatever the problem was, it has been
solved.

McCoy led the Bruins to both victories, scoring 32 points and
grabbing 25 rebounds with 13 blocks over the two games, and was
UCLA’s candidate for Pac-10 Player of the Week.

"I thought he just had a lull in the middle of the year," UCLA
head coach Jim Harrick said. "It’s a long year for him, but he got
it back. He’s been working real hard in practice and he’s doing a
fine job for us. He was a monster for us (last) weekend."

If all of the speculation behind his recent "lull" has put McCoy
on the defensive, maybe that’s because he feels comfortable
there.

Though he is averaging 10 points and 7.2 boards per game,
McCoy’s strong suit has always been his defense. That was what
brought him attention at St. Augustine High in San Diego and made
him so alluring to the UCLA coaching staff.

"(Jelani) is someone who’s going to really improve dramatically
the longer he’s in the program with his footwork and his overall
defensive fundamentals," UCLA assistant coach Steve Lavin said.
"But he has great instincts, things that you can’t teach. So you’d
rather have someone with great instincts and start to hone in the
fundamentals than start with someone who has no instinct.

"You can be as good as you want to be at all the fundamentals,
but if you don’t have that instinct you’re not going to be a great
defensive player. And he has great instincts."

His instinctive abilities have added a new dimension to the UCLA
program, which hasn’t had such a shot-blocking presence since the
days of Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Because shot blocking statistics were not recorded until 1979,
there is no way to compare McCoy’s numbers to those Bruin legends,
though comparisons in style have been numerous.

"I’m flattered by the comparisons (to Walton and Abdul-Jabbar)
but I don’t think I’m anywhere near being in the same boat as
them," McCoy said. "I’m a defensive player and my defense helps my
offense out on the court. When I go out on the court I’m basically
trying to get my defense started so we can get on the break and get
some easy baskets."

Easy baskets are another of McCoy’s specialties. Known for his
monstrous dunks and animated facial expressions, it’s obvious the
freshman enjoys himself on the court.

UCLA fans have become accustomed to the yelps McCoy makes after
slamming a dunk and in a way, it has become his trademark.

"I love playing basketball and I have to keep myself and the
team pumped up because we’re a young team and we thrive off stuff
like that," McCoy explained. "I’m having fun every time I step
across the line and play basketball, so I have to show it."

Come March, McCoy may get a chance to show off his love of the
game to the entire country if the Bruins are able to find a way
back into the Final Four.

Success in the NCAA tournament will be dependent upon an entire
team effort, and according to his teammates, that includes a
consistent performance from McCoy.

"Jelani’s just stepping up and he’s playing like we know he
can," Bruin sophomore Toby Bailey said. "That’s how we’re going to
need him to play if we’re going to go far in the tournament."

McCoy appears ready for the challenge.

"I’m going to do anything I can to help the team win," McCoy
said. "If that means me going out and scoring two points and
getting 20 rebounds, or just the opposite, I’m going to do it.
Whatever it takes I’m going to do."

ANDREW SCHOLER/Daily Bruin

Freshman Jelani McCoy has become known for his animation on the
court this season for the UCLA men’s basketball team.

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