University Southern California Trojans
Trojans Face Running Rebels Nov. 20 in Las Vegas
June 21, 1999 | Men's Basketball
November 18, 1998
LOS ANGELES - The USC men's basketball team (1-0), under the direction of third-year head coach Henry Bibby and coming off of its biggest season-opener win in school history, hits the road for the first time in the 1998-99 season when it travels to the desert to play at Nevada-Las Vegas (2-0) on Friday (Nov. 20) at 7:35 p.m. The Trojans take on a Runnin' Rebel squad that opened this season with a pair of convincing wins over Sacred Heart, 103-56, on Nov. 14, and Troy State, 95-58, on Nov. 16. USC then returns home to host Long Beach State on Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and St. Bonaventure on Nov. 30 at 5 p.m.
Game #2
USC (1-0) at UNLV (2-0) on Friday, Nov. 20. Tip-off is set for 7:35 p.m. The game will be televised live by FOX Sports West 2. The contest will also be broadcast live on KCTD-AM (1540). UNLV finished 20-13 overall and 7-7 in the Mountain Division of the Western Athletic Conference in 1997-98. UNLV returns four of five starters from last season's NCAA Tournament team. Sophomore forward/center Kaspars Kambala (21.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg), senior forward Kevin Simmons (6.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and senior guard Brian Keefe (5.0 ppg) are UNLV's leading returners.
LAST GAME
The 1998-99 version of the USC men's basketball team debuted with a major splash, handily defeating San Diego State, 101-54, on Nov. 17 at the Sports Arena. Seven Trojans scored in double figures as USC pinned a 47-point loss on San Diego State, tying an Aztec record for margin of defeat. USC junior college transfer Brian Scalabrine, a sophomore forward/center, led all scorers with 14 points and sophomore guard Jeff Trepagnier finished with 12 points. Freshman forward Sam Clancy posted a double-double in his first game as a Trojan with 11 points and 10 rebounds while freshman guard Brandon Granville scored 10 points, dished out five assists and had six steals. The Trojans made a school-record- tying 22 steals and forced 31 Aztec turnovers. USC held San Diego State to .295 shooting (18-of-61) while making 34-of- 66 of its own field goals and 29-of-35 free throws (.829). USC led by as many as 26 points in the first half, built its lead to 40 at 79-39 with 11:09 left to play before cruising the rest of the way.
Early indications
One of USC's biggest weaknesses in 1997-98 was its free throw shooting, finishing the year at a paltry .640. A point of emphasis in the off season, the extra work paid off in the Trojans' opener as they made 29-of-35 free throws (.829). The most USC made last season in any game was 25.
As expected, USC coach Henry Bibby used his roster liberally against the Aztecs, playing 13 players, 11 of whom saw at least 10 minutes of action and nine of whom played at least 16 minutes. No Trojan played more than 21 minutes.
TROJAN NOTES
Point guard Brandon Granville became the first Trojan to start a season-opener as a true freshman since Burt Harris did so to begin the 1992-93 season.
With 101 points in its opener and 117 in last season's regular-season finale against Arizona State, USC has reached the 100-point plateau in consecutive games for the first time since 1975 (when the Trojans did it three straight times).
Sophomore guard Kevin Augustine, who did not play in either of USC's exhibition games after being away from the team for more than a week for personal reasons, played briefly against San Diego State. He saw three minutes of action and made two free throws.
Troy returns the bulk of its scoring and defensive help from a year ago. The Trojans return 64.9 percent of their scoring, 63.7 percent of their rebounding, 58.8 percent of their assists, 81.0 percent of their blocked shots and 60.5 percent of their three-point field goal production. The returning Trojans shot a combined .428 from the field (490-of-1,144), .629 >from the foul line (246-of-391) and .376 from three-point range (138-of-367).
On the Air
Twenty of USC's 27 games will be broadcast on XTRA-AM Sports 690. Rory Markas handles the play-by-play duties for the Trojans and ex-USC assistant coach Jim Hefner is the analyst. XTRA will broadcast all 18 Pacific-10 Conference games as well as games against non-conference foes Long Beach State and Kansas. The remaining seven games will be broadcast by KCTD-AM 1540.
Schedule/television changes
USC's game against St. Bonaventure on Nov. 30, originally schedule for a 7 p.m. start, will now tip off at 5 p.m. In addition, USC's game at California on Feb. 11, originally scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start, will begin at 5 p.m. to accomodate a FOX Sports West 2 television broadcast. The Trojans' game against Arizona on Jan. 4 at 1 p.m. at the Sports Arena, originally scheduled to be broadcast on FOX Sports West 2, will not be aired on television.
Talented newcomers
For the second consecutive season, USC has a talented cast of newcomers that are expected to contribute right away. In 1997-98, the Trojans featured four freshmen, all of which saw considerable playing time. This year, true freshmen Brandon Granville, Sam Clancy and David Bluthenthal as well as sophomore transfer Brian Scalabrine and junior transfer Quincy Wilder are all pushing hard for meaningful minutes. In USC's opener, they combined to score 49 points and grab 27 rebounds in 90 minutes.
Tough schedule
As usual, USC plays a demanding slate of games, scheduled to play five of the top 18 teams in the preseason AP Top 25 poll (No. 3 Stanford, No. 8 Kansas, No. 12 UCLA, No. 14 Washington and No. 18 Arizona). The Trojans also face two other teams which received votes in the AP poll: California and UNLV. Eight teams on the USC schedule played in the postseason in 1998 (Kansas, Stanford, UCLA, UNLV, Washington and Arizona in the NCAA Tournament and Arizona State and St. Bonaventure in the NIT). USC opens with eight of its first 11 games at the Sports Arena, including six of nine non-conference games. The Trojans will enjoy a four-game homestand in that span, with its last two non-conference games against American (Dec. 21) and Arkansas State (Dec. 29) followed by the first weekend of Pac-10 play vs. Arizona State (Jan. 2) and Arizona (Jan. 4).
PAc-10 preseason poll
USC was picked to finish eighth in the Pac-10 preseason media poll. Stanford was picked first with 369 points and 36 first-place votes. The Cardinal was followed by Arizona (298), Washington (277), UCLA (271), California (253, one first place vote), Arizona State and Oregon (150 each), USC (144), Washington State (65) and Oregon State (56).
HENRY BIBBY
Henry Bibby, a coach with 16 years of college and professional experience and the only player to ever play for an NCAA, NBA and CBA championship team, begins his third full season as the head coach of the USC men's basketball program. Last season USC went 9-19 overall, but closed out the season with a stunning 91-90 overtime victory over then-No. 2 Arizona and a 117-71 rout of Arizona State. In his first full season at the helm of the Trojan program, Bibby did not waste any time in moving Troy in the right direction. The 1996-97 campaign saw the Trojans finish second in the Pacific-10 Conference and make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1992. The previous year, the Trojans went 11-19 and finished ninth in the conference. The seven-game improvement is the third-biggest turnaround in USC history and the seven spot increase in the standings matches a school best. In addition, Bibby's 17-11 mark in 1996-97 is the best by a Trojan coach in his first full year since Forrest Twogood went 21-6 in his debut season in 1951. Bibby was named USC's head coach on March 15, 1996. Bibby joined the Trojan program in May of 1995 as an assistant coach. He was named USC's interim head coach on Feb. 7, 1996, replacing Charlie Parker. Bibby came to USC after coaching a club team in Venezuela in 1995. He was a head coach for eight seasons in the Continental Basketball Association. His teams made it into the CBA playoffs six times and posted a 223-213 regular season record, making him only the fourth CBA coach to post 200 wins.
Adam Spanichpard - Senior forward 6-foot-7 212 pounds
One of USC's all-time top three-point shooters. One of three seniors on team.
Averaged 12.0 points in 1997-98.
Made 73-of-174 treys last season, leading the Pac-10 in both categories. Made two dramatic three-pointers in USC's upset of No. 2 Arizona last season. The first sent the game into overtime and the second won it with no time on the clock.
Was named to the Pac-10 All-Newcomer first team. Currently ranks No. 11 on USC career three-point chart (73).
Elias Ayuso - Senior guard 6-foot-2 195 pounds
Another strong three-point threat.
Had 11 points and three steals against San Diego State in USC's opener. Currently ranks No. 9 on USC's career three-point chart (96). One of only three seniors on team.
Averaged 8.8 points per game in 1997-98 and made 46 three-pointers. Scored a career-high 25 points in last season's final game against Arizona State.
Jarvis Turner - Junior forward 6-foot-8 230 pounds
Had nine points, two steals and a block in the season-opener against San Diego State.
One of two returning starters from 1997-98 and the second-leading returning scorer (10.6) and rebounder (5.3).
In the season finale against Arizona State last season, he recorded his second consecutive double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Against No. 2 Arizona last year, Turner had a career-high tying 19 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
Shannon Swillis - Sophomore forward 6-foot-6 225 pounds
USC's leading returning rebounder (5.9) from 1997-98 and a part-time starter. Can play as a swingman or a power forward. Had a team-high 41 blocks (1.52 pg second in the Pac-10) last year and blocked three or more shots in eight games. Earned 1997-98 Pac-10 All-Freshman honorable mention honors. Against Tennessee last year, he finished with a career-high 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Greg Lakey - Sophomore forward 6-foot-8 200 pounds
Scored 10 points and had eight rebounds against the Aztecs to open the season. USC's third-leading returning rebounder from 1997-98. Averaged 5.3 points and 3.7 rebounds last season while starting 19 games as a true freshman (second most on the team). Had a career-high 14 points and eight rebounds against Washington State last year.
Jeff Trepagnier - Sophomore guard 6-foot-4 185 pounds Scored 12 points and had two blocks and three steals in USC's season opener. Averaged 5.2 points and 3.5 rebounds as a true freshman in 1997-98 while starting six games. Was second on the team in steals (28) and third in offensive rebounds (42) last year. Scored career-high 18 points to go along with four steals at UCLA last year. One of the top athletes in the Pac-10.
Kevin Augustine - Sophomore guard 6-foot 185 pounds
Played three minutes in the Trojans' opener, scoring two points vs. San Diego State.
Started 10 times at point guard in 1997-98 as a true freshman. Averaged 6.3 points and 3.7 assists last season despite being hampered all season by tendinitis in the rotator cuff in his right shoulder. He averaged 7.9 points in Pac-10 games.
Earned Pac-10 All-Freshman honorable mention honors.
David Bluthenthal - Freshman forward 6-foot-7 215 pounds
Scored four points and had three rebounds in his first game as a Trojan. Averaged 21.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game at Westchester (Calif.) High in 1997-98.
Teamed with current Trojan teammate Brandon Granville in leading the Comets to a 30-3 record and their first-ever City Section 4-A title and Division I state championship.
Was the City 4-A Player of the Year.
Can play both forward positions.
Sam Clancy - Freshman forward 6-foot-7 240 pounds
Posted a double-double in his first game at USC, scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against San Diego State. Averaged 17.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in 1997-98 at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio. Led the Eagles to the Ohio "Big School" state championship and earned Parade Magazine All-America fourth team honors. Was a Street & Smith's 1997 College Basketball fourth team All-American and an All-Metro (Cleveland) pick.
Brandon Granville - Freshman guard 5-foot-9 175 pounds
Scored 10 points and had five assists and six steals vs. San Diego State in becoming the first true freshman to start a game at USC since Burt Harris in 1992-93.
Averaged 12.0 points, 10.0 assists and 3.0 steals in 1997-98 at Westchester (Calif.) High, playing with current Trojan teammate David Bluthenthal. Led the Comets to a 30-3 record and the Coastal Conference Western League championship, City Section 4-A title and Division I state championship. Was a USA Today All-USA honorable mention, Los Angeles Times South Bay/Westside All-Star Team and South Bay Daily Breeze All-Area first team selection.
Brian Scalabrine - Sophomore forward 6-foot-9 240 pounds
Scored 14 points (including six-of-six from the line) and had nine rebounds and two blocks in Trojan debut against San Diego State. Can play both power forward and center.
Averaged 16.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game as a freshman in 1996-97, helping lead Highline C.C. in Des Moines, Wash., to a 31-1 overall record and the state junior college championship. He led the Thunderbirds in rebounding, blocks and free throw percentage (75 percent) and also shot 59 percent from the field. Recorded double-doubles in 17 games.
Redshirted last season.
Quincy Wilder - Junior guard 6-foot-3 200 pounds
Scored 10 points and had three assists off the bench in his first game at USC. A versatile player, he can play either guard spot or small forward. As a sophomore at Highline C.C. in Des Moines, Wash., Wilder averaged 23.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.2 steals per game. He led the Thunderbirds to consecutive Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges championship.
Scored in double figures in all 33 games he played in and scored 20 or more in 23 of those games.
Seymour Daffeh, Shelby Jordan, Rob Eres
Rounding out the Trojan roster are walk-ons Seymour Daffeh, Shelby Jordan and Rob Eres. Daffeh, a senior, is in his fourth year with USC and has played in eight games in his Trojan career. Jordan, a sophomore, played in two games as a freshman last season and Eres, a freshman, is in his first year with the team.
Daffeh played two minutes in USC's season opener. He didn't see any action last year.
