Walton back in action

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona Daily Wildcat File Photo Freshman forward Luke Walton (4) goes up for a shot during the Red/Blue Scrimmage Nov. 3. Walton redshirted this year because of a stress fracture in his foot. He had his first full speed practice Monday. In the preseason, Olson called him the best overall freshman.

The San Diego native and son of NBA and UCLA All-Star Bill Walton was called the best overall player among the six-member freshman class by UA head coach Lute Olson in the preseason but a stress fracture in his foot put his plans of playing college basketball on hold.

Walton was diagnosed with the fracture the day after the Red-Blue Scrimmage, and has had to sit on the sidelines with a cast the entire season.

And though Walton came back to practice seemingly unaffected by the layoff, with the exception of a lack of endurance, Olson still said Walton would finish this season as a redshirt to save four years of eligibility.

Arizona Team Stats ppg rpg apg FG% Jason Terry 22.4 3.2 5.6 47.0 AJ Bramlett 14.5 9.5 1.1 54.2 Michael Wright1 14.3 8.8 0.3 56.3 Richard Jefferson 11.8 5.0 2.9 51.1 Ruben Douglas 6.5 2.1 1.8 34.5 Eugene Edgerson 5.1 4.8 0.3 48.6 Justin Wessel 3.4 2.9 1.0 47.1 Traves Wilson 3.4 1.4 1.0 30.6 Rick Anderson 2.9 1.9 0.8 42.0 John Ash 1.1 0.5 0.0 50.0 Josh Pastner 0.7 0.7 0.0 33.3 Jason Stewart 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

"Luke Walton worked out yesterday full speed," Olson said. "It didn't look like he lost a whole lot other than his conditioning. He's as dependable a guy as we've had in terms of doing his rehab."

Olson said Walton played well as a power forward in practice Monday and that the 6-foot-8 freshman would be able to play on the perimeter as well. He added he was happy with Walton's knowledge of the offense despite not being able to practice and play.

"Based of (Monday's) practice, he would make up a lot of ground on other guys in a hurry," Olson said. "It's obvious that while he's been on the sidelines he hasn't been counting light bulbs at McKale."

For his part, Walton said he would be interested in playing when the team goes to the NCAA Tournament with the first game either March 11 or 12, but that he understood that wasn't the way things would go.

"They've done a good job keeping me involved so now it's a matter of getting my conditioning back and getting my shot back," Walton said. "Of course I would want to (play), but I don't think that's going to happen."

Terry honored again

After averaging 26.5 points, 6.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game in a weekend sweep of Oregon and Oregon State, senior point guard Jason Terry was awarded the Pac-10 Player of the Week award for the second time this month.

Terry scored 21 points on 9 of 16 shooting to go along with six assists in last Thursday's 89-72 blowout of the Beavers and put up 32 points against Oregon in the 92-86 victory Saturday for UA's 30th consecutive home win.

Terry is leading the league in scoring and assists and has been Olson's main option when the game gets down to the final seconds.

"Everybody comes into our games knowing he's the guy they have to stop," Olson said, "but that's easier said than done."

The new era

With the impending departure of Terry to the NBA, UA recruit Jason Gardner (North Central HS, Indianapolis) will have every opportunity to claim the starting point guard job as a true freshman.

When he committed, Gardner said there were only two things left he wanted to do before continuing the tradition of great NBA-caliber UA point guards: win Mr. Basketball Indiana and be named to the McDonald's All-American Team.

Monday, Gardner fulfilled one quest, being named to the West team for the McDonald's All-American Game to be broadcast on ESPN March 24, from Ames, Iowa.

Gardner, averaging 22 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting over 40 percent from three-point range, was the only Pac-10 recruit among the 20 players selected, though five of those players have yet to commit to a school.

Duke, on the other hand, had three recruits selected with a fourth, Alaskan power forward Carlos Boozer, expected to commit to the Blue Devils.