University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Bona Honored as Pac-12 Freshman of the Week
January 02, 2023 | Men's Basketball
SAN FRANCISCO – UCLA forward Adem Bona has earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors for the first time this season, as announced on Monday by the Pac-12 Conference office.
Bona and UCLA classmates Amari Bailey and Dylan Andrews have now earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors this season. This marks the first time in the brief history of the league's "Freshman of the Week" award in which one program has had three (or more) freshmen secure that weekly honor in the same season.
A 6-foot-10, 235-pound forward from Ebonyi, Nigeria, Bona has averaged 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in 14 games this season. He currently ranks No. 3 in the Pac-12 in overall shooting percentage (64.8 percent).
Through UCLA's two-game Pac-12 road trip last week, Bona registered 12.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. Bona logged a season-high 18 points in UCLA's 74-49 win at Washington on Sunday evening. He finished with three blocks and two rebounds in that win. Two nights earlier, he had seven points, seven rebounds and three steals in a one-point win at Washington State. Bona scored the game-winning basket on a layup, called for goaltending by Washington State, as UCLA secured a 67-66 victory.
UCLA (13-2, 4-0 Pac-12) has won 10 consecutive games. The Bruins have entered the week ranked No. 8 in the USA Today Sports Coaches poll and No. 10 in the Associated Press (AP) poll. UCLA will return to action at home against USC (11-4, 3-1 Pac-12) this Thursday, Jan. 5. Game time in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (PT). The Bruins' Pac-12 contest against USC will be nationally televised by ESPN.
