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Bruins' Gordon cool as ice on this stage

PHOTO GALLERY UCLA vs. Washington, 3/12/09

UCLA freshman center Drew Gordon had no idea what to expect entering his first Pacific-10 Tournament because he didn't grow up hoping to play college basketball.

His dream was to have his name etched on the Stanley Cup.

"I grew up playing ice hockey," Gordon said. "I never thought of myself as a college basketball player until my junior year."

Gordon and the second-seeded Bruins opened play against No. 7 seed Washington State in Thursday night's late game at Staples Center.

Gordon, the heir-apparent to senior Alfred Aboya at the center position, said his hockey hopes were derailed by a serious concussion he sustained during a postgame fight while playing travel hockey in middle school.

"It was my mom who said I wasn't playing anymore," Gordon said. "It was tough. I couldn't run and do a lot of (exertion) for months. She didn't cut it off immediately, but when I got back (to playing), she cut it out   Read Full Article...