UCLA defeats Slovakia by slim margin

  Daily Bruin File Photo Junior guard Michelle
Greco, shown in a game last season, helped the Bruins beat
Slovakia Monday. UCLA 69 Slovakia 68

By Mayar Zokaei
Daily Bruin Contributor

Gone were the familiar faces of the past on Monday night during
the UCLA women’s basketball team’s exhibition game.

No Maylana Martin, no Erica Gomez, no Janae Hubbard. Instead, an
influx of new talent, spearheaded by freshman Gennifer Arranaga and
a trio of junior college transfers, along with the return of
All-Pac-10 selection Michelle Greco, provided the winning formula
for the Bruins in a 69-68 victory over the Slovakian National Team
at Pauley Pavilion.

Jalina Bradley hit two free throws with 13 seconds left to
clinch the win and prove, for at least the one game ““ albeit
one in the preseason ““ that UCLA can still flourish.

“We have a lot to work on, but there were plenty of bright
spots,” UCLA head coach Kathy Olivier said. “With
Greco’s play and Bradley’s surprising new role as a
monster scorer, we were alright.”

The game was close for most of the first half before Greco, who
finished with a game-high 25 points, picked up her third foul with
less than four minutes left. Sans Greco, UCLA found itself
trailing, 33-30, at intermission.

“It was real exciting in the first half, but when Michelle
went out, we knew there were some others who could step it
up,” Arranaga said. “We came out to play, and were
weren’t going to let it hold us back.”

Greco scored 21 points in the second half to help UCLA overcome
an eight-point deficit. The junior guard also added six
rebounds.

“I tried to forget about the first half and just try to
come out stronger in the second,” Greco said. “We have
a lot of young players and to be able to incorporate their play
into our offense and keep us in the game was important.”

The trio of transfers, all from Texas community colleges,
combined for 14 points and 15 rebounds, including nine boards by
Malika Leatham.

“(The transfers) did some great things,” Olivier
said. “Malika on the boards, Shalada (Allen) with her
unorthodox shot … Slovakia made us play out of our normal set,
but our players did well.”

Bradley finished with a career-high 14 points, including six of
seven free-throws. Allen, Arranaga and sophomore Natalie Jarrett
each had eight.