AA2 Makes It Official
Dohn reports that AA2 is officially coming back for his senior season:
After toying with the idea of playing overseas this season, UCLA center Alfred Aboya said Friday he will return for his senior season with the men's basketball team. [...]
Aboya will graduate with a degree in political science after taking two classes during the ongoing summer session. He filed the necessary paperwork to apply for graduate school at UCLA so he can maintain his eligibility while working toward a master's degree.
"As far as my knowledge, he's definitely planning on staying at UCLA," Bruins coach Ben Howland said. "He's finishing two classes he needed to officially graduate right now." [...]
"He's our most experienced player inside," Howland said. "I believe in Alfred, and I think he's going to have his best year at UCLA."
This is awesome news.
We get to enjoy one more year of one of the ultimate Ben Ball warriors. With AA2 in the fold we now will have a frontcourt featuring JK, AA2, JMM, DG, and ND. I have high hopes for JK given what he showed last year during the stretch (after LRMAM went down during the Pac-10 tourney) and AA2 will show the youngsters the kind of defensive intensity and relentlessness it takes to break into Howland's rotation as a Ben Ball warrior.
GO BRUINS.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.
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Absolutely huge
Frontcourt depth had to be somewhat of a concern going into ’08. This is very good news.
by godblesstyus95 on Aug 23, 2008 9:08 AM PDT 0 recs
I'm in both of those Poli Sci classes
with Aboya…they’re upper divs (US/Soviet Relations during the Cold War, Mass Media and Politics). I’ve also seen him go into the basketball office in Morgan after class regularly, so perhaps that was a good sign that he’d be returning. All I can say is yay!
GO BRUINS!
by jlegs on Aug 23, 2008 12:05 PM PDT 0 recs
YES!!!!!
My stomach just jumps at this news! I’m so very happy that he is coming back! This is very, very good news!
Go Bruins!
DBalter
by westwood12003 on Aug 23, 2008 2:49 PM PDT 0 recs
This Is Very, Very Big
Fantastic news…I just cannot wait to see him on the court again. DC made great predictions about AA2 for this coming season. Hooray, Hooray, HOORAY!!
Love My Bruins
by Bruingirl83 on Aug 23, 2008 3:17 PM PDT 0 recs
Fantastic...
news really. I will never forget the yellow goggles and his unreal composure when Tim Morris threw the ball squarely in his face. A real class act and a true Bruin. Makes me proud to call him a classmate.
by eubruin on Aug 23, 2008 5:30 PM PDT 0 recs
This is huge
The character and leadership that comes back with AA2 will be so big for this team and for the development of our incoming class. These new kids bring in tons of talent, but it’s guys like AA2, DC, and JS who will teach them how to become star college basketball players. Thank you, Alfred!! And this doesn’t even touch on his academic achievements, which are even more outstanding. Our guys just absolutely rule!
greg in denver
by gbruin on Aug 24, 2008 8:48 PM PDT 0 recs
You Know...
you have really hit on it, Greg…this final piece—AA2 coming back to the team, continuing on with post-grad work at U.C.L.A., puts an unbelievably huge “character stamp” on this team.
DC coming back for his senior year and making the comments he did about living in the dorms, how big AA2 was going to be for us, and looking forward to playing with JH… JS coming back with his head up, ready to work, after everything he’s been through…MR continuing his battle with a painful foot injury so he can play his final season with these Bruins…this is tremendous, really.
This is making me so proud and excited for the coming year. Thanks for the insight.
Love My Bruins
by Bruingirl83 on
Aug 25, 2008 10:17 AM PDT
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People often underestimate AA2's impact
When you think about it, it makes sense to underestimate him. Here’s a guy who has never averaged more than 18 minutes a game, 4 points or 4 boards. He’s a role player and not an outstanding one at that when you take a quick look at it. Losing him is no big deal and the program wouldn’t feel a loss if he left, right?
Wrong. CBH has said it time and time again how hard AA2 brings it in every practice. This is a program coming off of 3 straight Final Fours and is the best program in the west right now. They don’t need to bring a 100% effort to practice each and every day. One wasted practice wouldn’t kill the team and human nature would make some of the players take a day off here and there. Then imagine walking out on the practice court ready to go easy for a day when AA2 is running out at out, throwing his body at you and diving after balls during practice. At that point you have no other option, but to go 100%.
The thing that has made the Bruins so successful under CBH is that they peak at the right time. When March comes around they are playing their best ball and that is due to continued improvement and hard work during practice. AA2 pushes everybody in every single practice and helps the team consistently improve to peak in March. AA2’s impact goes far beyond the 15 minutes and 2 or 4 points he gets us a game.
by ryebreadraz on Aug 25, 2008 11:08 AM PDT 0 recs
Just saw this and this is HUGE!
I love AA2 and agree with everything everyone has said here. The guy is truly a class act and I look forward to him having a breakout season. More importantly though, is the fact that he will be in UCLA grad school to maintain eligibility which just distinguishes the Bruin way as opposed to the $c way where you take a ballroom dancing class to maintain eligibility.
by apbruin on Aug 27, 2008 8:50 AM PDT 0 recs
Not official yet
A grad school source says AA2 is taking his GRE this week, so nothing is official until they have received his scores from that. Should be a formality given his apparent ability, but nonetheless the step is a necessary part of upholding the high academic standing of the finest public university in the land.
by britishbruin on Aug 27, 2008 11:34 AM PDT 0 recs
If Ced Bozeman can do it...
…then AA2 should have no problem. I remember graduating with Ced in 2005 at the History Dept. graduation, and then him returning to play for us the next season (2005-2006).
I assume, since Ced graduated with me and kept playing he was doing some kind of graduate work (I heard in the History Dept.) and, while Ced was a great guy and pretty bright, everything I’ve heard about AA2 makes me think that if Ced could do it, there’s no way AA2 couldn’t do it.
by norcald503 on
Aug 27, 2008 7:07 PM PDT
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