BAILEY IS CREAM OF THE GUARD : JUNIOR'S GAME HAS MATURED.Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer He marvels at the way his brilliance became his burden. Toby Bailey John Garfield "Toby" Bailey (born November 19 1975 in Los Angeles, California, United States) is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball at UCLA and was one of the stars of their 1995 National Championship team. scored 26 points in the NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association championship game against Arkansas two years ago. The outburst was a result of his raw, powerful athleticism, not the skills needed to become an elite major college guard. It was about running and dunking Dunking is a form of torture and punishment that was applied to scolds and supposed witches. In a trial by ordeal, supposed witches were immersed into a vat of water or pond, and taken out after some time, and given the ability to confess. If she confessed, she was killed. , rebounding and dunking - he played center at Loyola High School There are many Loyola High Schools: In Colombia
That game was not a fluke, as some have suggested. He scored 26 a week earlier in the West Regional final against Connecticut. It was a tease. ``It might have given people a false impression of what I could do at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX ,'' said Bailey, now a junior. In the two years since, Bailey has worked hard to develop his perimeter skills, often taking extra shots after practice. He leads UCLA in assists (119). He's a 3-point threat (10 of 14 in the Stanford-Arizona-Arizona State-USC stretch), and his turnovers, while still high, are down from last year. ``When he first got here, people thought he was just a dunker Dunker a medium-sized scenthound, popular in Norway. It is a powerfully built dog with a short coat, pendulous ears and long tail. The short coat may be tan with black saddle and white markings, or the black may be splotched (merled). Called also Norwegian hound. ,'' junior forward J.R. Henderson said. ``He wasn't really a shooter. But he's getting better. That Arkansas game put a lot of pressure on him.'' Bailey has led the Bruins in scoring in three of the last five games. He is their second-best defender, after point guard Cameron Dollar, and he is a superb rebounder for his 6-foot-4 frame - 14 games this season of six rebounds or more. He's tireless, consistent and, unlike his teammates, never complains. With two regular-season games remaining, Bailey is nearing a second consecutive berth on the all-Pacific-10 team and playing the steadiest, most disciplined basketball of his career. ``I'm a totally different player than I was my freshman year,'' he said. ``I can do a lot more things. My freshman year I played good defense and scored a lot of transition baskets. Now I can do a lot more.'' A monthlong stint at point guard last year accelerated his perimeter development. While the Bruins won 10 straight with Bailey in control and Dollar on the bench, it was a chaotic experience. Each possession made the coaching staff cringe cringe intr.v. cringed, cring·ing, cring·es 1. To shrink back, as in fear; cower. 2. To behave in a servile way; fawn. n. An act or instance of cringing. , as Bailey's passes came from all angles and directions. Some went into the stands, some to his teammates' shoes, some to the opponents. His worst game, 12 turnovers, was in Washington's Edmundson Pavilion, where the Bruins play tonight. ``People thought playing point guard would short-circuit him,'' Bruins coach Steve Lavin Steve Lavin (born September 4,1964), a San Francisco, California native is a former college basketball coach and current ABC and ESPN TV analyst. As UCLA head basketball coach from 1996-2003, Lavin compiled a record of 145-78. said. ``But it was a real blessing in disguise. Being in the shoes of a point guard helped him see the game like a coach. Now he can do both. He can hit the jumpers and he can also get us into our sets and make adjustments on the court.'' Bailey remains the Bruins' best clutch player, capable of game-changing bursts after prolonged stretches of dormancy. He made the biggest basket and pass of the Duke win. Against Oregon last week, he was 1 of 8 from 3-point range. But that one was critical: It followed an 8-2 surge that gave Oregon a 62-58 lead with six minutes left. The knack for big plays comes from what Dollar calls a ``gunslinger Gunslinger A high-strung portfolio manager who, looking for high returns, invests in very high-risk stock. Notes: Stay away from these guys, or they could end up shooting you in the foot! mentality'' that prevents him from cowering cow·er intr.v. cow·ered, cow·er·ing, cow·ers To cringe in fear. [Middle English couren, of Scandinavian origin.] after a turnover, missed shot or bad decision. For Bailey, the only play that matters is the one he's about to make. But unlike previous seasons, that play doesn't have to be a shot. ``Last year I equated a good game with a lot of points,'' he said. ``I didn't think I was contributing, helping us win, if I didn't score a lot of points. But as we've started winning this year and as I saw us coming together, it showed me I didn't have to score for us to win. I could contribute in other ways.'' With his passing, perhaps, or his ballhandling. All the things that guards do. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos Photo: (1--color) Known for his strong transition game his freshman season, UCLA's Toby Bailey has improved in all aspects of the game. Michael Owen
(2) Toby Baily still has a knack for hitting the dramatic baskets. Daily News File Photos |
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