Other articles by Bruce Pascoe:

Lopez gets angry, beats Miller to retain WBC Latino belt Analyst Kelley to step back into ring Budinger: No regrets on return to Cats Emphasis on defense dominates scrimmage Another sought-after recruit spurns Cats in favor of UCLA Arizona Wildcats basketball: Post player chooses UCLA Shaq's in shape, determined to have a strong season in Phoenix Olson publicly announces engagement at fundraiser Coaches, prospects now less trustful Kerr relaxed in Year 2

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There are two types of conversations Bret Brielmaier will usually engage in when fans recognize him.

The first involves head-scratching folks who know he's a starting forward for Arizona's basketball team, but one who averages only 3.2 points a game.

"They'll ask, 'Why don't you shoot the ball more?' " Brielmaier said.

Then there are days when basketball aficionados, those with an eye for the game's fast-moving subtleties, approach him.

"They'll say, 'I love watching you play — doing the little things that help keep the team together and make it work,' " Brielmaier says. "So I get both sides.

"But I really appreciate the people who can respect what I do."

The reason Brielmaier has elevated himself into the Wildcats' starting lineup, even as a walk-on post player who is just 6 feet 7 inches tall, is simple: Kevin O'Neill respects what he does.

Both UA coach Lute Olson and O'Neill, the interim head coach, have repeatedly noted that when they put Brielmaier in a game, they won't see a mistake. They might see matchup issues, especially if the opponent is particularly athletic or tall inside, but they won't see mental errors.

O'Neill can quickly list what he will get from Brielmaier, every time.

"He draws charges; he screens; he gets offensive and defensive rebounds; he runs the floor exceptionally hard; he's a better-than-average on-ball defender for a big guy," O'Neill said. "He's a very good passer. And, lo and behold, he knows the plays."

Though Brielmaier says he loves drawing a charge as much as anything, he is praised for his screening most often.

"Bret's our best screener," O'Neill said. "It's knowing angles, being physical, enjoying contact, all the things that go with physical basketball."

Brielmaier has his teammates' respect, too. Guard Jawann McClellan, who says he might be the team's second-best screener behind Brielmaier, said Brielmaier gives the Wildcats extra possessions that, in turn, can translate into extra points.

"If it's a tip-out, he might not get credit for the rebound, but he might have tipped it out," McClellan said. "He'll get deflections and set screens. He sets them hard. And he's a smart player on both sides of the court."

Brielmaier also has a critical prerequisite for holding such a complementary role: the ability to suppress his ego.

"You kind of compare it to being an offensive lineman — never the glory," Brielmaier said. "But that's not what it's about for me. We've got enough guys here who have more talent and should be getting the shots up. And if I can aid in that, I'm definitely fulfilled."

So if Brielmaier is the lineman, it's not hard to guess who the star running backs are: Chase Budinger and Jerryd Bayless.

Life might not be quite as glamorous for either of them if Brielmaier were not around, plowing defensive attackers out of the way with a variety of screens. McClellan said most of Budinger's and Bayless' shots in set offenses come off screens that he or Brielmaier sets.

And Budinger knows it.

"It's kind of like (Chargers fullback) Lorenzo Neal with LaDainian Tomlinson," Budinger said. "All Neal does is block for LT. He sort of lays it out on the line — and so does Bret."

To understand this hard-nosed mentality, it's probably worth reviewing Brielmaier's background. Not only was he a Class A all-state high school basketball player in Minnesota, but Brielmaier was also a linebacker and tight end on the football team — and threw discus in track and field meets.

He was also a National Honor Society member.

Then, when Brielmaier received scholarship offers from mostly smaller and mid-major schools, he turned them down to accept a walk-on invitation from Arizona. Initially, that meant less playing time and spending more money: Full rosters in 2005-06 and this season have forced Brielmaier to pay his own way for half of his college career — in the form of out-of-state tuition.

Just so he could test himself as ruggedly as possible.

"I'm sure I could have averaged more points, more time on the floor" elsewhere, Brielmaier said. "But it was a sacrifice so I could have the ultimate challenge to prove to myself I could play at the highest level."

Although Brielmaier was much more of a scorer in high school and summer- league ball, he quickly learned he wouldn't be at the UA. In order to get on the floor, he said, Olson told him he would need to accept complementary duties.

So Brielmaier drew upon his football mentality, dropped his ego and began battling for playing time. He played in just 19 games as a freshman in 2004-05 but started twice and played in 30 games as a sophomore.

Last season, his minutes dropped with the emergence of Jordan Hill, but Brielmaier has started eight games this season alongside Hill.

Brielmaier's emergence may have something to do with UA's other power forwards failing to distinguish themselves, but O'Neill would probably have trouble sitting him down in any case.

O'Neill has to protect his LaDainian Tomlinson, after all.

"When he's not out there," O'Neill says simply, "Chase doesn't get as many open looks."