University Southern California Trojans
Men's Water Polo In MPSF Tournament This Weekend
November 23, 1999 | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 23, 1999
LOS ANGELES - The defending NCAA champion USC men?s water polo team (20-4 overall, 6-2 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation for third place) will take the No. 3 seed into this weekend?s MPSF Tournament at UC Irvine. The Trojans meet sixth-seeded Pacific (13-11, 3-5) in the first round on Friday (Nov. 26) at noon. If the Trojans win, they?ll play in the semifinals on Saturday (Nov. 27) at 1:30 p.m. against either Stanford or Pepperdine. The championship match is on Sunday (Nov. 28) at 1:30 p.m. The Trojans might need to win the tournament in order to earn a fourth straight NCAA Championships berth (the winner of the MPSF Tournament receives one bid, another goes to an at-large team).
1999 MPSF CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE (at UC Irvine)
Friday, Nov. 26
#8 UC Santa Barbara vs. #9 UC Irvine, 9 a.m.
#4 California vs. #5 Long Beach State, 10:30 a.m.
#3 USC vs. #6 Pacific, Noon
#2 Stanford vs. #7 Pepperdine, 1:30 p.m.
#1 UCLA vs. UCSB/UCI winner, 3 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 27
California-LBSU loser vs. UCLA-UCSB/UCI loser, 9 a.m.
USC-Pacific loser vs. Stanford-Pepperdine loser, 10:30 a.m.
California-LBSU winner vs. UCLA-UCSB/UCI winner, Noon
USC-Pacific winner vs. Stanford-Pepperdine winner, 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 28
7th-place game, 9 a.m.
5th-place game, 10:30 a.m.
3rd-place game, Noon
Championship game, 1:30 p.m.
RANKINGS -- USC was ranked No. 3 in the Nov. 17 U.S. Water Polo Top 20 Poll.
NOTES & STATS -- The Trojans have won at least 20 games for the fifth straight season ... USC is averaging 9.6 points per game offensively, while giving up 5.6 points per game. The defensive figure is far better than that of last year?s NCAA championship-winning team, which gave up 6.3 points a game ... Both Richard McEvoy and Allen Basso were named MPSF Players of the Week twice this season (USC?s total of four recipients was more than any other school).
MPSF TOURNAMENT HISTORY -- In the six previous MPSF Tournaments, USC has won twice (1996-97) and has never finished lower than third. Last season, the Trojans were ranked No. 1 in the nation but lost a semifinal match to Stanford (7-6 in overtime) before beating UC Irvine (12-9) in the third-place game.
VS. MPSF TEAMS -- All four of USC?s losses in 1999 have come at the hands of two other MPSF teams: Stanford and UCLA. The Trojans went 1-3 against the Cardinal and 2-1 against the Bruins this season. Against the other six MPSF teams, USC is a perfect 13-0 (3-0 vs. UC Irvine, 2-0 vs. California, Long Beach State, Pacific, Pepperdine and UC Santa Barbara). The total record against MPSF teams in 1999 is 16-4 (.800).
LAST WEEKEND -- The Trojans closed out the regular season on a high note, defeating No. 1 and crosstown rival UCLA, 10-7, at the McDonald?s Swim Stadium on Saturday (Nov. 20). USC scored the final four goals of the game, including a 3-0 shutout in the fourth quarter, to earn the win. Richard McEvoy had a career-high 16 saves and Ivan Babic scored three points for the Trojans.
JOVAN VAVIC -- After serving as co-head coach for the last four seasons, Jovan Vavic takes over as head coach in 1999. The last year has been a good one for Vavic, as he helped the USC men to the 1998 NCAA championship, then led the USC women to the 1999 national championship as their head coach. Vavic?s overall record as head coach is 109-22 (.832).
RICHARD McEVOY -- After earning All-American third team status the last two seasons, Richard McEvoy (Pembroke Pines, FL/Cooper City HS) may very well be the best goalie in the country as a 1999 senior. He has made 227 saves in 1999, 9.5 per game (second in the MPSF), and is allowing just 5.6 points per game (third in the MPSF). He ranks third on USC?s career save list with 619. He had a career-high 16 saves against UCLA (Nov. 20) and had 15 saves on three other occasions. He has reached double-figure saves 11 times. McEvoy made the All-Southern California Tournament second team. He was named MPSF Player of the Week twice: first on Nov. 8 after collecting a total of 25 saves against Pepperdine and California, and then again on Nov. 22 after getting the 16 saves against UCLA.
ALLEN BASSO -- One of USC?s most veteran players, senior driver Allen Basso (Lake Forest/El Toro HS) is having an impressive season. He has scored 45 points, the best on the team and by far a career high. His average of 1.9 points per game is fourth best in the MPSF. He has connected on a team-high six two-pointers and ranks fifth in USC history with 12 in his career. He made the All-Southern California Tournament first team. He has been named MPSF Player of the Week twice: the first honor came after scoring five points in the season opener against Long Beach State (Sept. 10), and the second came after he scored 12 points in four games to help USC to the Nor-Cal Tournament championship. He also scored a career-high-tying six points against Santa Clara (Oct. 9). He once had an eight-game scoring streak in which he put in 23 points. Last season Allen made All-American honorable mention and scored 25 points.
GEORGE CSASZAR -- USC?s leading scorer in 1998, George Csaszar is having another good year as a 1999 junior driver. A native of Hungary, he is tied for second on USC with 29 points (28 goals and one two-pointer) this season. He made the All-Southern California Tournament first team. He scored five goals against UC San Diego (Sept. 17) and four goals against Pacific (Sept. 18). Last year he made the All-American second team and scored 60 points.
IVAN BABIC -- A tremendous utility player, sophomore Ivan Babic (Belgrade, Yugoslavia) has picked up his scoring pace lately and is tied for second on the team with 29 points (26 goals and three two-pointers). He scored a season-high four points against both Pacific (Oct. 16) and California (Nov. 7). He made the All-Southern California Tournament second team. He made All-American honorable mention last season.
PETER JANOV -- Considered USC?s ironman because of the tremendous amount of minutes that he plays, senior 2-meter man Peter Janov (Bratislava, Slovakia) is having another fine year. An All-American honorable mention last season, he has scored 25 points in 1999, fourth best on the team. He had a season-high three goals against Pepperdine (Nov. 6).
JAMES CASTLE -- One of the best 2-meter men in the country, both as a scorer and in terms of drawing ejections, senior James Castle (Hacienda Heights/Wilson HS) was slowed by injury to start the 1999 season. But he rebounded quickly and has scored 24 points, fifth best on the team. He has a current eight-game scoring streak. He had a season-high three goals against UC Davis (Oct. 15). He was an All-American second teamer last season. In his USC career, he has scored 116 goals, good for No. 13 in the school?s record book.
OTHERS -- Four other players have reached double-digit scoring in 1999. Junior driver Stever O?Rourke (Huntington Beach/Marina HS) has 19 points, sophomore 2-meter man Adam Guerrero (Hacienda Heights/Los Altos HS) has 18 points, and brothers Johnathon and Jordan Hewko (San Clemente/San Clemente HS) have 13 and 10 points, respectively.
LAST SEASON -- The Trojans captured the 1998 NCAA championship by beating Stanford, 9-8, in overtime in the title game. USC finally won an elusive championship after finishing second six times, including four of the previous five years. Marko Pintaric, who hit the game-winning two-pointer against Stanford, was named the NCAA Player of the Year. The Trojans finished with a school-record 25-3 mark.
