Season Bounces Back With ‘Midnight Madness’ Drills

A look at the region’s college basketball teams heading into the start of official practices:

UCLA begins its practices Saturday at Pauley Pavilion in a scramble--and in private.

Coach Steve Lavin begins his first full season trying to figure out which of six newcomers can fill the vacuum left by the suspensions of Kris Johnson and Jelani McCoy (and the graduations of Cameron Dollar and Charles O’Bannon).

For as long as Johnson and McCoy are out--they definitely will miss UCLA’s first several games at the Great Alaska Shootout (first game Nov. 27 against North Carolina)--Lavin could be starting three freshmen: point guard Baron Davis for sure, and two others from among the group of guards Earl Watson, Billy Knight and Rico Hines and forward Travis Reed.

Toby Bailey and J.R. Henderson, the only remaining seniors, are the only other guaranteed starters on a team that, before the suspensions, had been projected as a national-title contender.

Most of this will be sorted out in secrecy: In a major departure from UCLA’s open-door precedent, Lavin has decided to close Pauley Pavilion to the public and media for all practices except Tuesdays. The weekly scrimmages on Fridays will also be open.