Arc of these three is one of tenacity

Bruins’ senior trio of Jaquez, Campbell and Singleton endured to restore program glory.

The point guard was slow and small, that mound of dreadlocks notwithstanding.

The small forward, for all his toughness, doubted himself amid repeated mistakes and the nonstop yelling from his coach.

The shooting guard didn’t offer much besides a singular skill that could be offset by his inability to get his own shot.

Four years later, on the eve of what could be their final home game, the only thing that remains unchanged about the trio of seniors is that mound of hair.

Point guard Tyger Campbell has become one of the best playmakers in the country. Small forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. could be the Pac-12 Conference player of the year. Shooting guard David Singleton has become a star sixth man on one of the nation’s top teams.

“We built something really special here,” Jaquez said Thursday night as he contemplated his farewell inside Pauley Pavilion.

The tears could flow on and off the court before the No. 4 Bruins (26-4 overall, 17-2 Pac-12) face No. 8 Arizona (25-5, 14-5) on senior night, fans saying farewell Saturday to Campbell, Jaquez and Singleton along

Showing they believe Chip Kelly is the right coach to lead UCLA into the Big Ten era, school officials Friday gave Kelly a two-year extension and accompanying small raise that runs through the 2027 season.

According to the contract reviewed by The Times, Kelly will make $6.1 million during the 2023 and 2024 seasons — a $300,000 raise over the previous amounts that included $1million retention bonuses — before getting a bump to $6.2 million per season in 2025, 2026 and 2027. His contract was restructured to add money to his annual salary while removing retention bonuses.

The new contract rewards Kelly for compiling a 17-8 record over the last two seasons while retaining a reasonable buyout should the Bruins struggle in making the transition to the Big Ten in August 2024.

Kelly’s buyout calls for him to receive $8.5 million if he’s dismissed before December 2023 and $4.27 million if he is terminated before December 2024. That amount drops to zero in December 2025.

Kelly, who turns 60 in November, would owe the school $3 million if he left before the end of this season and $1.5 million if he departed before the end of the 2025 season.

Athletic director Martin Jarmond cited the team’s improved record in each of its five seasons under Kelly in making the long-term commitment. The Bruins went 9-4 last season, finishing tied for fifth in the Pac-12 Conference before losing to Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl. They were No. 21 in the final Associated Press poll.

“I am excited about our football program under the leadership of coach Kelly and his talented staff,” Jarmond said in a statement.