Trbojevic added one second-half try to his two first-stanza four-po

LOS ANGELES -- Led by talented freshmen Lonzo Ball and T.J. Leaf, No. 2 UCLA is back in college basketballs upper echelon for the first time under coach Steve Alford.The Bruins (9-0) are off to their best start since 2006-07 after upsetting then-No. 1 Kentucky at Rupp Arena last week , boosting them to their highest ranking since November 2007.Ball has made an instant impact in what is expected to be his lone season in Westwood. Hes averaging 14.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and his 9.3 assists leads the nation. Hes also shooting 55 percent from the floor and 43 percent from 3-point range.The confident newcomer even put his finger to his lips in a shushing motion to Kentuckys fans.I really dont like the attention like that, he said Thursday. It was a good win, but we still have a long journey to go.While Ball has grabbed most of the attention, Leaf asserted himself against the Wildcats with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Hes averaging 17.2 points and 9.4 rebounds while shooting 67 percent from the floor.Leaf and Ball have just been exceptional, said Michigan coach John Beilein, who scouted Leaf three times while recruiting him in high school.Ball and Leaf are among six UCLA players who average double figures in scoring, led by Isaac Hamilton with 18.1 points. The Bruins high-octane offense averages 97.0 points, second in the country.No one really cares what their numbers are like, Leaf said. We just want to win.Thanks to the arrival of Ball and Leaf, which invigorated veterans Bryce Alford, Hamilton and Thomas Welsh, things have changed quickly for the Bruins.In March, fans were irate after a 15-17 finish and no postseason invite. The programs fourth losing season since John Wooden was hired in 1948 prompted Alford to return a one-year contract extension he signed after his first season. He also wrote an apology letter to the fans.From about Christmas on, I mishandled the team and we did a lot of changing around and we should have just stayed focused on getting better, Alford said. Weve done a lot better job of that this year and the talent is back up this year.Not a popular hire among the schools older fan base in 2013, Alford guided the team to consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearances in his first two seasons. Now, the players and fans are thinking much bigger at a school that owns a record 11 national championships.Weve been talking about trying to get to Phoenix, the younger Alford said, mentioning the site of the Final Four. Weve really been confident in ourselves and really starting to trust each other.The Kentucky win injected UCLA into the national conversation and is already having an effect on campus. Saturdays home game against Michigan is nearly sold out, something that has been rare at Pauley Pavilion in recent years. The Bruins are averaging 7,481 through five games in the 13,800-seat arena.People have been congratulating us as we walked to class, the younger Alford said.In Michigan (7-2), the Bruins will find a team that plays at a glacial pace compared to how UCLA likes to run and gun. The Wolverines are allowing 58.2 points a game and holding opponents to 42 percent field-goal shooting. Their top scorer Zak Irvin averages 13.6 points.We have a bigger target on our back than ever. Were ready for it, Leaf said. Were going to try to establish our pace and get out and run.The Bruins are wrapping up finals on Friday and havent played since beating Kentucky last weekend. They had plenty of time to savor the victory, including on the charter flight home. Instead of sleeping, the players hit up Twitter and watched replays of their favorite moments.But once they got back to practice, the younger Alford was quick to invoke his senior leadership.Its finding that balance of enjoying what youve done so far but realizing at end of day it doesnt mean much, he said. If you dont continue to progress and move forward, it all goes to waste.The younger Alford has benefited the most from Balls arrival. The freshman has taken over ball-handling duties, allowing Alford to revert to his more natural position of coming off screens while playing slightly fewer minutes. Alford is in his final season playing for his father, who won the 1987 national championship at Indiana under coach Bob Knight.This team has a high, high ceiling, Steve Alford said. They know they havent come anywhere near what their peak is. Clearance Football Jerseys Throwback . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. Sale Football Jerseys Throwback . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. http://www.cheapfootballthrowback.com/ . The deal is pending a physical, assistant general manager Bobby Evans said. Traded from Seattle to Baltimore on Aug. 30, Morse also can play first base and right field to give manager Bruce Bochy some flexibility in writing his lineup. Discount Football Jerseys Throwback .ca. Kerry, Just watched the shootout in the Coyotes/Leafs game and I have to ask, why was the James van Riemsdyk goal allowed to count? All of the video replays we were shown on TV were inconclusive about whether the puck had entirely crossed the line or not. Stitched Football Jerseys Throwback . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Star halfback Aidan Sezer has been cleared of a shoulder injury after being replaced late in Canberras 44-30 NRL win over Manly.Sezer left Brookvale Oval on Saturday with eight minutes remaining. But Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said Sezer wouldnt join his halves partner Blake Austin on the sidelines with injury after the clubs ninth successive win.He is alright, Stuart said.He just got a bit of a bang on the shoulder. Everyone has niggles this time of the year.You just have to have a bit of luck to get through to the semi-finals.Luck hasnt been on the Raiders side this week, with Austin ruled out indefinitely with a hand injury suffered at training.Sam Williams led the Raiders well around the park in Austins absence.With just one round to go, the Raiders remain in the hunt for a top-two finish, courtesy of the eight-tries-to-six in which Jordan Rapana scored three tries.It was a pretty messy and scrappy game all day, Stuart said.The players were pretty frustrated and we couldnt find much rhythm.A lot of teams would have got beaten today but we had the professionalism and discipline to get out of it.Two of Rapanas tries came in the first half after Paul Vaughan had opened the scoring for the visitors, and they led 18-10 at halftime.Two tries in six minutes after the break to Joeyy Leilua put the Raiders well on track for their 16th win of the season.ddddddddddddBut Manly didnt lie down. Tom Trbojevic added one second-half try to his two first-stanza four-pointers after brother Jake had scored Manlys first.Tries to Edrick Lee and Jack Wighton kept the home side at arms length before Daly Cherry-Evans, Trbojevic and Frank Winterstein scored three tries in five minutes late to keep Manly in with a chance of a win.Rapanas third in the 80th minute sealed the Raiders win in what was to have been the retiring Jamie Lyons final home game at Brookvale. He missed out due to a hamstring injury.We didnt give up but, when you score 30 points, you should win the game, Manly coach Trent Barrett said.We probably let in too many soft tries through loose balls and other little things.We got within striking distance but a couple of poor decisions cost us.Melbourne have secured a top-two spot and either Canberra or Cronulla will join them in hosting a qualifying final in week one of the playoffs.That will be decided by results of next weekends final round.Canberra play Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval and Cronulla take on the Storm in Melbourne. ' ' '