Score the first points from University of California at Los AngelesThe season is on a two-handed immersion.
Before No. 8 Bruins finished with 76-50 pole hubs for Sacramento In the season opener Monday night, he danced around confused defenders in the lane and beat off gravity-bound opponents for rebounds.
He caught a Sacramento State player on a quick break and installed a layup on the backboard.
It doesn’t matter that he was called to take care of the goal. Jaime Jaques Jr. He was moving as if he had never moved before.
Whatever mobility Jaquez had lost due to bony spurs and flakes in his ankle, he regained in the off-season surgery he underwent. Jaquez is now full, and UCSD as well.
Finally, Jaquez looks as if he is ready to make the leap to stardom that was expected of him 12 months ago.
The great striker can be all-American – and more.
with the Lakers In the dumps again and clippers Drawing on Kawhi Leonard’s unreliable knee, UCLA has a chance of being the No. 1 basketball player in the city and Jakes’ most beloved player.
“I’m just trying to get back to how I was,” Jackies told reporters last month.
penetration performance in Play Final Four at UCLA Two seasons ago, Jaquez averaged 12.3 points per game in the 2020-21 season and 13.9 points last year.
Very, very few players in this day and age would have played with a Tottenham bone in his ankle with a professional career ahead of them. He was playing on two bad wheels last year.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin on Jaime Jaques, Jr.
He started his last collegiate season with 14 effective points, recording seven of nine shots from the field while amassing seven rebounds in 32 minutes.
Jackies scored 12 points in the first half, after which the Bruins led 39-25. With the match already decided, Jaquez attempted only one shot in 13 minutes in the second half.
Even more important is how Jaquez scored on the eye test.
He moved more freely than he did at any time last season. It was more explosive. It was not limited to post-follow-up movements.
“Run faster, jump higher, all of that,” Coach Mick Cronin He said.
Jaquez’s health will be critical to the Bruins’ success, Cronin told UCLA to have a “great team,” Jaquez and the Point Guard Tiger Campbell They must be players of all-American caliber.
Jaquez was not the player last year. He played in Sweet 16 against North Carolina with a sprained ankle and lost UCLA.
“But even when Jaime is injured, he’ll never tell you,” Cronin said. “It’s a throwback. It’s like the ’80s guys, like [Kevin] McHale, who played in the playoffs with a broken foot.”
Jaquez has been slowed down by ankle issues all season. He missed practices. He even missed a game in January against Oregon. Consider ending his season prematurely.
“There were times when he couldn’t even jump,” his father, Jaime Sr., told Spring’s Ben Bolch of The Times. “He’s just been trying to crunch the whole season and give his best.”
By continuing to play, he gained the admiration of other players.
“I was really impressed by his commitment to everything last year,” said Year 5 goalkeeper David Singleton.
Cronin shared the same sentiment.
“Very, very, very few players in this day and age would have played with a bone-in Tottenham Hotspur in their ankle with a professional career ahead of them,” Cronin said. “He was playing on two bad wheels last year.”
Soon after UCSD, Jaquez underwent surgery to repair his ankle.
“The doctors couldn’t believe when they looked there, what they saw and what he was able to do with what was inside of him,” said Jaime Sr.
This was only the beginning, as the procedure was followed by months of rehabilitation and strength exercises.
“For him to be 100% now, I’m so proud of him,” Singleton said. “The amount of work he did, the amount of physical therapy with the coaches, the strength training, I am so proud of him and [looking forward to] I see how he’ll come out because I think he’s a professional NBA athlete.”
“It sure is,” said guard Jaylen Clark, who nodded in agreement.
“Seeing him realize this dream step by step is a beautiful thing,” Singleton continued.
Jackie’s will have this opportunity and more over the next five months. He is definitely healthy enough.