Collison Making His Name Known
 

As UCLA sat and watched Florida cut down the nets and stomp their championship aspirations in Indianapolis last season, dashed hopes were abound in Los Angeles.

Things would soon get much worse.

Unexpectedly, Jordan Farmar, UCLA's all-star point guard and team leader, decided to make the jump to the NBA and left the Bruins with few options to replace him. The only point guard on the roster was a player, few outside of the UCLA campus, had even heard of.

But Darren Collison has made a name for himself this season by not only becoming an outstanding offensive performer, but also by becoming the catalyst for the success the Bruins have garnered this season.

As a freshman, the guard out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., was used last year as a defensive specialist or to spell Jordan Farmar when he needed rest. In spite of having limited game-time experience, Collison was thrust into the starting role earlier than coach Ben Howland had expected because, essentially, there was no one else to turn to but him. So despite averaging only five minutes per game coming into the season, he was depended on to lead the team where Jordan Farmar never could.

But the young Collison has not only kept this team afloat in the powerful Pac-10, he has emerged as arguably the team's best player and the leader who has carried the Bruins to the top of polls.

The sophomore now stands second on the team behind Arron Afflalo - one of the best shooters in the nation - in scoring, notching 13.3 points per game.

But where Collison has really impressed is the improvements he has made on his game. Last season, the then-freshman went 19-of-58 attempts from behind the arc. Needing another threat from 3-point land to improve upon last season's offense that ranked sixth-best in the Pac-10, Collison has stepped right into that role, becoming not only one of the best on his team, but in the entire conference. He currently leads the Pac-10 in 3-point percentage with 50.6 percent.

The flashy point guard has also been able to distribute the rock with the best of them - even better than his predecessor. Collison averages 6 assists a game, second best in the conference and nearly an assist better than Jordan Farmar.

And, oh yeah, he's also still pretty good on defense, leading the Pac-10 with 2.2 steals per game.

The son of two Olympic sprinters, Collison's own superb speed has also brought a new dimension to the offense. The team is now able to play at a quicker pace and the guard's ability to quickly slash into the lane opens things up for Afflalo and sophomore Josh Shipp.

But probably his biggest contribution has been his role as a leader. When Collison went down with a shoulder injury, the team appeared in disarray against West Virginia, turning the ball over 15 times and ultimately being downed by, 70-65.

But the Bruin has returned even stronger than before and has led UCLA to two straight victories. In Saturday's game against Arizona, Collison showed just how far he's progressed by having arguably his best game of the season.

The young guard yearned to attend Arizona coming out of high school, but was never offered a scholarship. Collison would get the last laugh, however, scoring 17 points - five of which from downtown - and dishing out an eye-popping 15 assists. He even out-played Zona point guard Mustafa Shakur and helping the Bruins defeat the Wildcats for a fifth straight time.

Now with only about two weeks left of conference play, Collison has his team playing better than last year's outstanding team. Currently sporting a 23-3 record, the Bruins are poised for a No. 1 seed come March.

Every doubt about Collison has been thrown out. He's finally stepped away from Jordan Farmar's shadow and established himself as one of the premier point guards in college basketball. Now all that's left is for Collison and his team to prove themselves in comparison to the long linage of championship teams that have donned the "True Blue" and gold.

But from the display he's put on so far this season, it's clear Collison will be up to the task.

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