UCLA football: Bruins' Maiava misses chance to rock brother

This is the game UCLA center Kai Maiava dreamed of playing in for years. All that is missing is the person he wanted to hit … his brother.

Kaluka Maiava was a linebacker at USC in 2005-08. He was the inspiration for Kai to go to UCLA.

“I automatically wanted to come here out of high school,” Maiava said. I wanted to play against him. We were always competitive growing up. I was always going up against him. That’s the way it is in my family.”

Maiava’s family has a strong competitive streak. His father, Scott Mahoney, was a lineman at Colorado and played briefly in the NFL. His grandfather, “Prince” Neff Maiava, was famous wrestler in Hawaii, where he was a six-time heavyweight champion. And his uncle is actor Dwayne Johnson, who was known as "The Rock" during his days as a professional wrestler, and also played for the Miami Dolphins.

So wanting to butt heads with his older brother seems natural. Kai Maiava just missed his chance.

UCLA losing big at halftime

 

Not even an overdose of tryptophan could explain UCLA's sluggish start against Portland at the 76 Classic tonight.

Missed shots. Bad passes. A shot-clock violation.

It all added up to the Bruins trailing, 36-19 ,against an opponent that looked quicker and sharper through the first 20 minutes of this game at the Anaheim Convention Center.

UCLA made just 32% of its shots, barely more than half of its free throws. The Pilots made 57% of their shots and went six for six from the free-throw line. Portland had 10 turnovers, but even that was two less than the Bruins.

-- David Wharton

Photo: UCLA forward Reeves Nelson is fouled on a shot attempt by Portland forward Ethan Niedermeyer, left, and forward Luke Sikma. Credit: Bret Hartman / For The Times

Special three-day poll: Who will win this weekend's big game, UCLA or USC?

USC is favored by 13 points, but you can usually throw the spread out the window when the Trojans and Bruins clash in college football. So, who do you think will win Saturday?

Vote in today's poll, then leave a comment letting us know why you voted the way you did.

Are you on Facebook? Become a fan of The Times' Sports Facebook page and get breaking UCLA and USC news delivered right to you.

-- Houston Mitchell

Photo: UCLA defenders Akeem Ayers, left, and Glenn Love close in on USC wide receiver Ronald Johnson in the first half of last year's game. Credit: Luis Sinco, Los Angeles Times.

UCLA basketball: Nikola Dragovic reinstated

UCLA Coach Ben Howland has reinstated Nikola Dragovic, the senior forward who is facing a felony assault charge in connection with a fight at a Hollywood concert last month.

Dragovic missed the previous two games but will return to action against Portland in the first round of the 76 Classic tournament Thursday. Howland said Dragovic will not start but is expected to play off the bench.

"Based on what we know right now, we thought it was the right decision to allow him to play," the coach said.

Prosecutors have alleged that Dragovic pushed a  man into a glass case, which shattered, causing serious injury. Dragovic's attorney has said the alleged victim was actually the aggressor and that he had claimed to have a knife.

Dragovic and a friend are scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 21.

-- David Wharton

Photo: Nikola Dragovic. Credit: Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times

Tuesday's poll: For USC football fans, which is more important: Beating Notre Dame or beating UCLA?

OK, USC football fans, this poll is for you. If you had to pick only one of the two teams to defeat, which team would it be, Notre Dame or UCLA? Vote now, then leave a comment letting us know why you voted the way you did.

-- Houston Mitchell

UCLA basketball: Halftime report

Looking to take another step forward after their season-opening loss, the Bruins showed glimpses of improved play while building a 28-20 lead over Pepperdine in the first half of Monday night's game at Pauley Pavilion. 

UCLA came out playing with some of the defensive intensity for which Coach Ben Howland's teams traditionally have been known. The Bruins forced turnovers by guard Keion Bell and forward Taylor Darby, and center Drew Gordon blocked Mychel Thompson's jumper on the perimeter.

But, at the same time, UCLA guard Michael Roll was missing shots and tossing a pass out of bounds. There were other miscues against Peperdine's zone defense, and the Waves led by two points early on.

And UCLA's free-throw-shooting woes continued.

Eventually, Roll found his range and Gordon continued with his progress, hitting a little baseline turnaround. Malcolm Lee warmed up, too, scoring nine points as the lead stretched to eight.

-- David Wharton

Photo: UCLA center Drew Gordon power his way to a shot in the second half Monday night. Credit: Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times

Are you on Facebook? Become a fan of the Times' Sports Facebook page and have UCLA news and breaking news sent to your Facebook page.

UCLA basketball: Dragovic's attorney responds

The attorney for UCLA forward Nikola Dragovic responded this evening to prosecutors' characterization of his client as the aggressor in an altercation that led to Dragovic's being charged with felony assault.

Jon Artz said Dragovic was trying to leave the Hollywood concert venue where the incident took place last month and was pursued by the alleged victim.

According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, Dragovic's roommate, Aleksandar Stanisic, began arguing with a man and his girlfriend during the show. Afterward, prosecutors said, Dragovic charged the man and pushed him into a glass display case, which shattered.

The alleged victim suffered a lacerated Achilles' tendon, authorities said.

Telling another side to the story, Artz said the man followed Dragovic out of the Henry Fonda Theater and allegedly claimed to have a knife.

"He was the aggressor," Artz said. "He was drinking heavily. He slapped Dragovic's roommate."

Dragovic remains suspended from the team. A UCLA alumnus, Artz said he hoped that Coach Ben Howland would reconsider.

For more details, check www.latimes.com/sports/.

-- David Wharton

UCLA football: A fan's look back at Arizona State

A team on a winning streak, a beautiful November afternoon in Southern California and senior day could coax only 46,151 fans to show up at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

Yes, there still is a long way to go for the UCLA football team to return to any kind of prominence, but I'll take a late-season three-game charge any time.

For that matter, if someone told me this summer that in late November the Bruins would have a  mathematical chance to finish in front of their cross-town rival in Pac-10 standings, I probably would have asked what they were drinking.

Here are observations, opinions and reflections from the fan's chair after UCLA's 23-13 win over Arizona State.

UCLA football: Kicker Kip Smith commits to the Bruins

Kip Smith, a kicker from Broomfield Legacy High in Colorado, has committed to UCLA.

Smith, who made an official visit to UCLA over the weekend, is ranked third nationally among kickers by rivals.com. He had originally committed to Minnesota.

UCLA has kicker Kai Forbath, who is a junior, and punter Jeff Locke, who is a redshirt freshman. Locke can also handle place-kicking duties. But Smith is hard to pass up. He set a Colorado state record with a 67-yard field goal in his team's season opener.

-- Chris Foster

 

UCLA basketball: Details on Dragovic incident [UPDATED]

Prosecutors released more information on the Nikola Dragovic case this morning, saying the UCLA forward allegedly got into a scuffle outside the Henry Fonda Theater after an Oct. 24 concert, leaving his alleged victim with multiple injuries.

According to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, Dragovic allegedly charged the victim and pushed him into a glass display case, which shattered. The alleged victim suffered cuts to his leg and foot.

After several weeks of investigation, Dragovic and a friend, Aleksandar Stanisic, were arrested on Friday.

Dragovic was charged with felony assault and, according to the district attorney, was released on $60,000 bail. His arraignment is set for Dec. 21.

In the meantime, he remains suspended from the team.

[UPDATE 12:19 p.m.: An earlier version of this post misidentified the site of the scuffle as the Henry Ford Theater.]

-- David Wharton

Photo: Nikola Dragovic. Credit: Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times