Johnson Joins Bruins’ Party

Kris Johnson made his delayed senior season debut at last, welcomed warmly by the 9,724 at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday night.

And he waited all of two seconds to start scoring.

“You could see he had that itch,” J.R. Henderson said. “He wanted to score as soon as he touched it. He wanted the crowd to cheer for him.”

The crowed cheered for Johnson in pregame warmups, roared when he got up to enter the game with about eight minutes left in the first half, then exploded when he lit up the Titans for 13 first-half points.

Along the way, UCLA ripped through Cal State Fullerton, 120-91, scoring more points than the Titans had ever given up and once again flourishing despite the benchings of Johnson, Henderson and Baron Davis because of minor infractions.

“I was antsy and anxious on the bench,” said Johnson, in his first game back from a suspension. “I was glad to be back out there. I didn’t realize how much the fans really were behind me. That’s something I’ll cherish.

“I didn’t know if they were mad at me or what. It was kind of overwhelming.”

Johnson’s father, Marques, flew from Seattle especially for the game, and beamed as his son kept scoring.

“It was special--all the embarrassment I’ve caused him,” Kris Johnson said. “It was good to make him proud.”

It took so long for Johnson to get in because he missed Wednesday’s early-morning practice after studying the night before for three finals.

Henderson was late for the same practice, and Davis was held out of the starting lineup because he was late for Saturday afternoon’s shoot around when he had car trouble.

With those mainstays out of the early going, freshman guard Earl Watson was a whirling, swirling 6-foot twister, showing up wherever there was a crash, dash or carelessly tossed pass.

In a fuel-injected 31-minute performance that covered up for the starting-lineup absences, Watson racked up 11 points, 10 assists, three rebounds and five steals.

“Earl Watson once again just in a subtle way really is a force in a basketball game,” Bruin Coach Steve Lavin said.

Also because of the sitdowns, freshman Billy Knight got the first start of his career and scored 10 first-half points. Knight made four of his first seven shots, including two of five from three-point distance.

Henderson came off the bench 2:50 into the game and ended up leading UCLA with 23 points. Davis got in a couple of minutes later but departed quickly after picking up two fouls.

Johnson was the last reserve to be sent in during the first half, but it was a dramatic entrance.

He got a rousing cheer when he subbed for Brandon Loyd with 7:31 to go, and hit the floor firing.

UCLA stole the ball, Johnson got it and crashed into a Fullerton defender as he made a layup. He was called for a charge, but the basket counted.

“I’m glad the basket counted--I didn’t want to start things off with a charge,” said Johnson, who ended with 15 points.

Johnson made all four of his first-half field goal tries--including a three-pointer--and all four of his free throws.

Overall, No. 12 UCLA (4-1, four consecutive victories) shot a sweltering 65.6% from the field in the first 20 minutes (21 for 32), used an aggressive full-court press that forced Fullerton into 16 turnovers and went in at halftime with a 64-48 lead.

In the half, Toby Bailey made six of his nine shots, grabbed six rebounds and led the Bruins with 14 points.

Meanwhile, Watson was half-way to a triple-double: eight assists, five steals and six points. He also drew two charges.

“I didn’t really know how good those freshman guards, Baron and Earl, were until I got out there with them,” Johnson said. “They really make things happen.”

Chris Dade led Fullerton (4-3) with 26 points, including three three-pointers.