Sports
Five takeaways from UCLA's crushing yet encouraging loss to Arizona
They get it. They finally get it.
UCLA basketball fans would be wise to mark Jan. 20, 2024, on their calendars just as many had circled Jan. 19, 2020, as the day things clicked for coach Mick Cronin’s first batch of Bruins who won 11 of their final 14 games.
It didn’t matter that this current group of Brubabes — seven freshmen among the eight newcomers — lost leads of 19 and 17 points in a crushing road loss to No. 12 Arizona on Saturday during the teams’ final matchup at the McKale Center as Pac-12 rivals.
This defeat might have been more encouraging than recent victories over Washington and Arizona State given that the Bruins played their best 30 minutes against the toughest opponent they’ve faced all season in the most hostile environment.
Yes, they lost those leads and Cronin lost his cool, appearing to yell an obscenity at the referees while earning a technical foul as part of a four-point sequence that allowed Arizona to tie the score on the way to its 77-71 victory.
But UCLA’s offense is no longer on its point-a-minute pace and the team is playing with a collective freedom and swagger that was missing through the season’s first 2½ months. Here are five takeaways from the loss to the Wildcats:
Mack attack
In the second halves alone, Sebastian Mack scored 16 points against Arizona, 11 points against Arizona State and 10 against Washington.
The freshman guard is no longer just driving fearlessly toward the basket, hoping to fling in a layup or draw a foul. He made two three-pointers in the second half against the Wildcats. He notched two assists in the second half against the Huskies.
While Mack certainly has a lot of strides to make on defense, his unselfish approach on offense has made him far more valuable than just being the team’s leading scorer with an average of 14.1 points per game.
UCLA guard Sebastian Mack looks to pass the ball against Arizona State on Wednesday in Tempe.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)
“We just wanna win, and I’m fine with whatever,” Mack said of his role. “If you need scoring, [Saturday] I was there, but if you need assists and zero points I’m there. Just doing what it takes to win.”
Call him ‘Laser’
Lazar Stefanovic was brought in from Utah for his shooting, veteran savvy and leadership.
For more than two months, he had gone two for three, fulfilling every desired role except the shooting. But a recent uptick in accuracy has sparked the team’s turnaround, Stefanovic making two of three three-pointers against Washington and three of seven from long range against both Arizona State and Arizona.
Stefanovic made all three of his three-pointers in the first half against the Wildcats before experiencing a dropoff in the second half as the Bruins struggled with ball movement against stickier defense.
“They were more aggressive, and we kind of backed up instead of going at them,” Stefanovic said. “And we didn’t pass as much, and that’s why our shooting percentage went down.”
Sous Vide?
Jan Vide cooked in his six second-half minutes against the Wildcats, the freshman guard getting a three-pointer to drop and completing a three-point play after getting fouled on a jumper in the lane.
He was less successful on a fast-break drive blocked by Pelle Larsson when he probably should have passed to a teammate, but the offensive output in limited playing time was encouraging. Vide has also shown promise handling the ball as a possible part-time alternative to Dylan Andrews.
Hindered by an ankle injury for several weeks, Vide has averaged just 2.3 points in 6.5 minutes per game but appears on the brink of a far larger role.
Some major upside
At 8-11 overall and 3-5 in the Pac-12, there’s almost nothing UCLA can do the rest of the regular season to make the NCAA tournament barring an improbable 12-0 run.
That means the Bruins must do everything possible to prepare themselves for the Pac-12 tournament the way Cronin had readied his team for the NCAA tournament over the three previous seasons. Continue to find the winning players, perfect the rotations and load manage if necessary.
Only two games out of fourth place in the conference standings, the Bruins can still easily secure a top-four seed that comes with a bye into the Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals. That’s essential since only three teams — Colorado in 2012, Oregon in 2019 and Oregon State in 2021 — have won four games in four days as part of the current conference tournament format adopted in 2012.
Trojan takeover?
With Isaiah Collier and Boogie Ellis sidelined by injuries, USC has gone into a free-fall, losing four consecutive games.
But the Trojans have something going for them heading into the rivalry matchup Saturday evening at the Galen Center: They have gone 4-0 against UCLA under Cronin on their home court.
It’s the only Pac-12 venue in which Cronin has not won. This would be an opportune time to reverse those fortunes if the Bruins want to build upon their mid-season momentum.
Sports
Growing forfeits in soccer because of ineligible players could spur change to CIF bylaw
Forfeits by high school boys’ soccer teams in the City Section and Southern Section playoffs continued Friday as both sections try to deal with violations of CIF Bylaw 600, which prohibits players from participating in outside leagues during their sports season.
Calabasas pulled out of the Southern Section Division 3 championship because of an ineligible player. Chavez became the sixth City Section school eliminated from the playoffs for using an ineligible player and was replaced by Chatsworth for the City Division I final.
There’s also an allegation about another Southern Section team that could result in another forfeit in the final.
Some high schools thought they had found a solution by not allowing players to play until after their club seasons ended in early December. Cathedral had several players miss its first three games because of several big club tournaments in November and early December.
“You communicate to students and parents,” Cathedral coach Arturo Lopez said. “Unfortunately, there’s more and more academies now.”
Ron Nocetti, the executive director of the CIF, said, “I think we have to have conversations with our sections.”
CIF membership repeatedly has rejected the proposal of getting rid of Bylaw 600. Schools don’t want to have their coaches battling it out weekly with club coaches, which also would place additional pressure on athletes dealing with school work and then having to do double workouts.
The balancing act for students already is tough enough, with the amount of club teams growing in a lot of sports because it’s a lucrative business. The CIF briefly suspended the rule during the pandemic in 2020 but quickly reinstated it.
The problem is club soccer programs are holding competitions in the middle of the high school season, and players, knowing the rule that you can’t play high school and club at the same time, apparently have decided to try to do both with the hope of not getting caught.
This year, they are getting caught. Emails alleging violations started arriving to City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos before the semifinals. If a player is found to have played club, the high school team has to forfeit, and if it happens during the playoffs, the team is eliminated.
Usually the pressure is on schools to make sure rules are not violated, but for Bylaw 600, schools can do everything right and still be punished for a player violating the rule on their own.
Several leagues are expected to present proposals to get rid of Bylaw 600. Nocetti said membership might be open to adopting changes.
“Maybe this is a tipping point for schools saying maybe it’s time to make a big change with the rule,” he said.
Sports
Anthony Richardson free to seek trade after injury setbacks amid Colts’ shift to Daniel Jones
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Anthony Richardson Sr.’s future in Indianapolis faces more uncertainty than ever.
The Indianapolis Colts granted Anthony Richardson, the team that used the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on the quarterback, permission to explore a trade. His agent, Deiric Jackson, confirmed the latest development in the 23-year-old’s tumultuous career to ESPN on Thursday.
Veteran quarterback Daniel Jones beat out Richardson in a preseason competition for the starting job. Jones made the most of another opportunity as an NFL starter, helping the Colts win eight of their first 10 games of the 2025 regular season.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson heads off the field after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
However, his season was ultimately derailed by an Achilles injury. The setback came two years after he tore an ACL with the New York Giants. The Colts appear ready to move forward with Jones, clouding Richardson’s future in Indianapolis.
Jones is set to become a free agent in March, meaning the Colts must either use the franchise tag or sign him to a new deal. Richardson has started just 15 games in three seasons with the Colts, his tenure largely shaped by injuries.
A shoulder surgery limited Richardson to four games during his rookie campaign, while a series of setbacks cost him four games in 2024.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) looks for an open receiver during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Richardson suffered what was described as a “freak pregame incident” during warmups last season, landing him on injured reserve after attempting just two passes in two games in 2025. He has thrown 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in his NFL career.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that the vision problems stemming from Richardson’s orbital fracture last October are “trending in the right direction.” He added that Richardson has been “cleared to play.”
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) celebrates his touchdown against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
Riley Leonard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is expected to return to the Colts next season.
When asked about Richardson’s standing with the Colts moving ahead, Ballard replied, “I still believe in Anthony.”
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Sports
Prep talk: Freshman golfer William Hudson of St. John Bosco wins Servite Invitational
William Hudson, a 14-year-old freshman golfer, shot 71 on Monday at Western Hills Country Club in Chino Hills to win the Servite Invitational.
“It was very important to me and my school,” Hudson said.
Some think it’s the first time a St. John Bosco student won an invitational title.
Hudson is a straight-A student who picked up his first golf club when he was 3. He has a daily routine involving practicing at 6 a.m. before heading to school. He’s also enrolled in a school entrepreneur program that involves taking classes at a junior college that will qualify for college credits.
“They are long days, but I get through it,” Hudson said.
He comes from a family that enjoys golf. His great-grandfather played until his death at 98 last year.
“I love how it can take me to interesting places and meet interesting people,” Hudson said. “I can play for the rest of my life. It’s a lifelong sport.”
It’s looking like another strong year for golfers in Southern California, with several individual champions returning, including Jaden Soong of St. Francis and Grant Leary of Crespi.
Now Hudson has thrust himself into the conversation.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
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