Kobe Paras officially joins UCLA Bruins

The UCLA basketball team dropped an 84-81 decision to Monmouth in the team’s season opener in Pauley Pavilion on Friday evening.

Junior guard Jerold Smith celebrates a UCLA 3-pointer.

The Hawks outscored UCLA 9-2 in the final two minutes by making nine of 10 free throws. Point guard Jaylen Hands and forward Jalen Hill have already given the Bruins verbal commitments as well.

Alford made back-to-back 3-pointers to put UCLA up 70-66, but a layup by Stewart and a 3-pointer by Robinson gave the Hawks a 71-70 lead. Bolden missed his entire freshman season due to eligibility reasons.

Bryce Alford brought the Bruins back from the brink by scoring 10 points in a row.

After two more free throws made the margin three points, Holiday tried a deep three-point shot as time expired.

“A loss like this hurts a lot, pretty disgusted in the way we played to say the least”, he said.

“That doesn’t happen. That should never happen”.

UCLA led at halftime, 34-30, and pushed its lead to 13 points – 53-40 – with 12:29 remaining in the second half.

For the game, they had 23 turnovers.

UCLA coach Steve Alford announced the signing yesterday and said Paras, son of PBA basketball legend Benjie Paras, will be a terrific addition to the squad.

The 6-foot-3 Fox was one of the breakout players of the spring and summer on the grassroots circuit and many believe he’s the best guard prospect in a loaded Class of 2016.

The Bruins huddle during before a free throw attempt.

The Hawks were poised throughout the game, calmly erasing the double-digit deficit midway through the second half.

“I mean, Isaac [Hamilton] got ripped once, I got ripped once, pretty sure Aaron [Holiday] got ripped once”, Bryce Alford said.

Parker, the senior big man, helped spark a second-half run with a one-handed slam over Diago Quinn off a slick baseline feed from a driving Alford.

Trailing 60-50 with eight minutes left in regulation, Monmouth answered with an 11-0 run.