UCLA freshman knows his way around.

Byline: Bob Clark The Register-Guard

UCLA freshman Jordan Farmar has already made the rounds of Eugene's athletic venues.

He toured Autzen Stadium, if on a day when it was empty.

He's been through McArthur Court, though today's visit by the Bruins will be the first time he's played there.

Where he did put on a uniform in Eugene and was in action with fans in attendance was at Civic Stadium, though his primary assignment was picking up bats instead of swinging one himself.

That was back in the summer of 1999, when the 12-year-old Farmar was on a visit to be with his father Damon, then the batting coach for the Eugene Emeralds of the Northwest League.

`I spent a few nights at the baseball stadium,' Farmer said of his memories of Eugene. `We walked around the (University of Oregon) campus one day. I played basketball at the YMCA a couple of times.'

As Farmar familiarizes himself with another Eugene basketball venue this afternoon, there won't be much need for many other introductions around the court.

Two of Oregon's freshmen, Malik Hairston and Maarty Leunen, each had UCLA on a final list of potential colleges. Bryce Taylor, another UO rookie, rebuffed one of those `are you sure?' inquiries from the Bruins after committing to the Ducks in the summer before his senior year of high school.

Oregon's recruitment of UCLA freshman Josh Shipp largely ended because Chamberlain Oguchi was certain of his interest in the Ducks.

`Our guys really liked (Shipp) when he made his visit, and he's going to be a great player,' Kent said. `He was indecisive and Champ came on his visit and wanted to commit while he was here.'

Statistics would say the Bruins are ahead on that recruiting decision, with Shipp already having made four starts while Oguchi has played only 43 minutes this season.

`They're both really good players, but Josh is getting a great opportunity right now and making the most of it,' Kent said. `Chamberlain hasn't had his opportunity yet.'

Of the other two UCLA freshmen who start, the Ducks were never involved with Arron Afflalo and figured there wasn't much sense in pursuing Farmar, with sophomore point guard Aaron Brooks having picked the Ducks over the Bruins the previous year.

Can anybody picture Farmar playing backup point guard anywhere?

`That's why I came here, to play right away and have the chance to lead my team,' Farmar said. `This is exactly how I wanted it to be.'

If there might have seemed the natural connection with baseball from a father who played and then coached professionally, Farmar said that ended as a youth.

`I played baseball when I was younger, but where I grew up, everybody played all the sports. I even ran a little track,' Farmar said. `When I got into high school, I made the decision that basketball was my sport.

`With baseball, there's just not the interaction with the crowd that there is in basketball and I know (baseball) is a team game but it seems to be more individual. Basketball appealed to me more, and I developed a love for it.'

It seems to have been a wise choice. Farmar has moved directly from prep phenom into being UCLA's second-leading scorer and has more assists than any other Pac-10 freshman, no small accomplishment in a season when the league has a host of first-year players showing some ability to play the game.

Think about today's opening lineups at Mac Court: five of the 10 starters will be freshmen, and Oregon's Leunen could come into the game to find himself paired against a UCLA freshman reserve, Lorenzo Mata.

`It would be an outstanding freshman game,' Kent said, thinking back to the days before first-year college students played varsity basketball. `The amazing thing is they're all good and they're all having good freshmen seasons.'

Then again, who expected less?

These were supposed to be freshmen who could play and contribute right away, weren't they?

`Basketball is basketball, and we're just playing,' Farmar said.

`The intensity is different (than high school) and you have to learn to take every possession seriously or you'll find yourself going from five up to 20 down before you know what happened.

`It's a more physical game because you're getting bumped more, and on every play there's contact. There are no easy games either, that's one thing I've learned, but basketball is still basketball and everybody is developing. That's the only way you can improve, by playing against good players.'

There will be ups and downs. Hairston, who had been Oregon's steadiest freshman, had his off night Friday against USC, and Farmar was charged with nine turnovers in a loss at Oregon State.

`It might just have been that first night on the road in the Pac-10,' Kent said. `I would expect him to play a lot better (today) because he's a very good player.'

Plus, he's back in familiar surroundings. If not a dugout at Civic Stadium, it's at least the Pit.

CAPTION(S):

U O b a s k e t b a l l Thomas Boyd / The Register-Guard Aaron Brooks is coming off a 34-point outing.