Mick Cronin has options if UCLA star Jaime Jaquez Jr. can’t play North Carolina

So, what does Mick Cronin do?

Does the UCLA coach go along with his high defender if Jaime Jaquez Jr. is unable to play within the greatest recreation of the season, inserting Jaylen Clark? Or does he go together with the rising Peyton Watson, whose impossibly lengthy legs and arms make him a human roadblock to the basket?

They’re questions Cronin hopes he by no means has to reply.

If all goes nicely, Jaquez’s sprained proper ankle heals sufficiently. The junior guard has almost every week to bear no matter intensive restoration routine coach Tyler Lesher devises, be it ice, therapeutic massage, warmth, elevation or possibly even a blessing from a shaman.

Anybody who has watched Jaquez push by means of a bloodied face, a banged-up head and one ankle problem after one other expects him to be on the courtroom Friday in Philadelphia when the fourth-seeded Bruins (27-7) face eighth-seeded North Carolina (26-9) in an NCAA match East Regional semifinal at Wells Fargo Heart.

“Belief me,” Cronin mentioned Saturday night after his workforce had overrun St. Mary’s within the second spherical, “if he can stroll, he’ll play.”

Bear in mind, Jaquez returned solely minutes after making followers contained in the Thomas & Mack Heart squeamish when teammate Myles Johnson elbowed him within the face throughout a recreation in opposition to Nevada Las Vegas, resulting in a stream of blood.

He got here again briefly in opposition to Stanford in late January after reaggravating an ankle harm earlier than the ache turned too intense to proceed.

Solely his coach might cease him from taking part in within the second half of a recreation in opposition to Colorado in early December after Jaquez had smacked his head on the courtroom, Cronin holding him out as a precaution whereas acknowledging the durability of his grittiest participant.

“His dad mentioned, ‘You’ll be able to drop him on his head and play him,’ ” Cronin cracked afterward.

Jaquez has missed just one recreation this season, sitting on the bench in blue sweats throughout a victory over Oregon State on Jan. 15 due to a sore left ankle. He returned 5 days later and has performed in each recreation since regardless of needing a protecting brace on every ankle and acknowledging he was coping with an inflammatory situation that requires fixed consideration.

Within the recreation Jaquez sat out, Cronin turned to Clark and wasn’t disillusioned with the outcomes. Making his first profession begin, the 6-foot-5 sophomore guard scored all 11 of his factors earlier than halftime and performed some heart as a part of a small-ball lineup that successfully shut down the Beavers.

After all, North Carolina presents a far higher problem than a Pac-12 rival that logged three wins. The surging Tar Heels characteristic a real heart within the 6-foot-10 Armando Bacot and a stretch 4 within the 6-foot-9 Brady Manek, resulting in matchup difficulties.

Manek made 4 three-pointers and scored 26 factors in opposition to top-seeded Baylor on Saturday earlier than being ejected within the second half for throwing an elbow that was dominated a flagrant-2 foul. The disqualification doesn’t include an automated suspension, that means Manek is predicted to return in opposition to the Bruins.

Jaquez would possible draw the bearded Oklahoma switch as his defensive task, ought to Jaquez be cleared to play in opposition to North Carolina. He’s listed as day after day, along with his standing more likely to be the primary query lobbed at Cronin every day.

Clark would quit a number of inches to Manek however nothing within the dedication division, wanting to make issues tough regardless of the peak disparity. The choice can be to let the 6-foot-8 Watson use his 7-foot-1 wingspan that has earned him the nickname “Peyton SWATson” and helped him turn into a lockdown defender in latest weeks.

The Bruins have spent many of the season taking part in short-handed due to accidents. Among the many common members of the rotation, solely guard Jules Bernard and Johnson haven’t missed any video games due to accidents.

“It might be again to regular for us if [Jaquez] didn’t play,” Cronin mentioned. “It’s been occurring all 12 months.”

Even so, Jaquez’s absence would signify a blow transcending the lack of his averages of 14 factors and 5.7 rebounds per recreation. He’s carried the Bruins’ offense for lengthy stretches late within the season, averaging 21 factors throughout his previous seven video games.

At occasions within the first half in opposition to St. Mary’s, it felt as if Jaquez was not solely UCLA’s best choice however its solely possibility as most of his teammates stood round. Jaquez scored all 15 of his factors earlier than halftime, departing with the ankle harm with slightly below seven minutes to play within the recreation.

His presence infuses his teammates with a dedication that has made him UCLA’s most indispensable participant since cementing his spot as a starter early in his freshman season with impressed play within the Maui Invitational.

Alongside the best way, he’s turn into some of the beloved Bruins past the household behind the workforce bench blowing him kisses after he received damage in opposition to the Gaels. With one sentence Friday, the P.A. announcer within the Wells Fargo Heart might immediate among the night’s greatest roars.

“Beginning at guard, a 6-7 junior from Camarillo, Calif., Jaime Jaquez Jr.!”