Ben Ball News & Notes

by Nestor on Sep 9, 2008 6:00 PM PDT in Basketball

Mark Saxon from the OC Register has an update on Michael Roll, who has been working to recover from a torn plantar fascia in his left foot

“Once you get to a certain point where you’re bending your foot, you can just feel a sharp pain,” Roll said. “You don’t want to push it any harder, so you can’t get any elevation on a jump shot. Bad things are going to come from that.”

After nine months of rehabilitation, Roll has been playing nearly daily in the pickup games at the men’s gym on campus. Though he admits he is not 100-percent healthy yet, he is vying for a major role on a Bruins team that will be short on experience.

Roll remains a junior after the NCAA awarded him a medical hardship season.
“We’re really counting on Mike having a big year for us and I think he will,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said. “He’s worked really hard this summer.”

Right now I am anxious to see whether Roll can fully recover from this nasty injury and make meaningful contribution this upcoming season. I am hoping for the best. I know some folks are down on this kid last season, but that overlooks the fact how painful and difficult this injury is to recover from. From what I saw from Roll in his first two season, I saw a kid who has great basketball IQ and who plays within his role in the team. If he can give some decent mins next season I think it will really help the team in terms of depth and also brining our young guards up to speed on how to play within Howland's system.

In other news, Dick Vitale posted his early pre-season rankings recently in which Bruins are at number 4.

Oh and per request we now have a countdown going for first exhibition game against Cal Baptist when we get to see the newest edition of Ben Ball warriors with UCLA stitched infront of their home whites. Can't wait.

GO BRUINS.

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Good luck to Roll

There is no team that doesn’t like having a good role player come off the bench for some quality minutes. It seems like it has been forever since he has seen the court. As a little aside, people seem down on the Pac 10 for this upcoming basketball season, but I think it will definitely be an exciting battle at the top.

by Laughing Stock on Sep 9, 2008 6:06 PM PDT 0 recs

A Big Help

With Roll out there our team will have be a legitimate three point threat. Along with Darren and Josh on the wing, it will create more opportunity’s inside and in the fast break, that is very exciting! Thank you Nestor for putting up the Ben Ball countdown! It’s always great to be a Bruin :0)

DBalter

by westwood12003 on Sep 9, 2008 6:14 PM PDT 0 recs

before you ban me for good

Roll was on track to start ahead of Westbrook last year. So I think he is more than a kid with “great basketball IQ and who plays within his role in the team”.

I hope he makes a full recovery and he definitely has time to be a very productive UCLA Bruin over the next 2 years.

by truk on Sep 9, 2008 9:00 PM PDT 0 recs

Roll has potential to be more than a role player

We have lots of guards coming in…but if his foot is healthy he will compete for the starting role.

This is a guy that really improved last year.

by Bruin Dad and Grad on Sep 10, 2008 2:27 AM PDT 0 recs

Speaking of Ben Ball

I had dinner with one of my clients on Monday night. He went to Illinois, so we started chatting a bit about hoops. He told me how he used to play with Ben Braun when they were in high school (they called him Benji…), talked about Illinois’s run a few years back, etc.

Then he dropped a whopper on me.

He told me his mother had gone on a couple of dates with Coach Wooden at Purdue!!! I almost choked! That was great.

by tasser10 on Sep 10, 2008 8:22 AM PDT 0 recs

With the state of our frontline

Everything we can do to make the job easier for our bigs is a plus. Ever since his freshman year, Roll has been one of our best post entry passers, which compliments his highly touted shooting ability and makes life difficult for his defender. If he can make those shots more consistently, our offense gains a whole new dimension after screen-drive-kick and double/triple screen-pass-shoot. Hopefully we catch them overplaying the perimeter with the strength of our backcourt and we can really put that passing to use for high percentage shots.

by Tydides on Sep 10, 2008 8:22 AM PDT 0 recs

So True, Ty...We Need Him

(IMHO), as much for his passing as for his deadly shooting—I’ve seen him completely disrupt the opposing team’s defensive rhythm—they switch their defense, and he just fires from his “other gun.” His “role” is huge for us. He’s also a tremendous “can do” team player, who ups the attitude ante every time he takes the floor.

I am very excited for his return, and I am also hoping with all my heart that he will be fully healed, (and not just for my own selfish Bruin-fan reasons, I promise.) His particular injury is so miserable and debilitating, I just want him to suffer no lingering pain.

LET’S GO!!

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on Sep 10, 2008 9:34 AM PDT 0 recs