The USC men's basketball team followed up its three-hour session on Friday with another lengthy practice on Saturday, as they begin gearing up for the season opener on November 11 against Cal State Northridge. Here's a breakdown of how the team will potentially look in the absence of Jio Fontan and Curtis Washington.
- Guards - Due to Fontan's season-ending injury (ACL tear), which he sustained during the team's preseason tour through Brazil, the onus rests on sophomore captain Maurice Jones (9.9 points and 3.2 assists per game last year) to handle the bulk of the point guard duties. Freshman Alexis Moore has impressed coach Kevin O'Neill during the first two days of practice, but expect the 6-foot-2, 180 guard to play primarily off the ball when teamed with Jones in the back court. Junior transfer Greg Allen (11.0 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in 2010-2011 for Navarro College) could also see minutes at the shooting guard position. Whereas Moore is primarily a pass-first guard, Allen's skill set centers around his ability to hit the perimeter jumper. The only question for him heading into the season is whether or not his defense will be up to par with the Trojans' style of play.
- Wings - At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, freshman Byron Wesley is a tweener in O'Neill's offensive system. Look for him to split time between the shooting guard and small forward position. While he's best when he penetrates towards the bucket with his long, athletic frame, Wesley can also pull up and knock down an outside jump shot when needed. The small forward battle will brew on throughout the remainder of October as sophomore Garrett Jackson (3.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game last year) and redshirt sophomore Evan Smith (appeared in seven games during 2009-2010 season) look to vie for the starting job. Jackson bulked up to 225 pounds in the offseason and has worked tirelessly on his three-point shooting. Smith, who was one of the biggest surprises during the Brazil trip, continues to impress with his stroke from long range and instinctive play at both ends of the court.
Big Men - Outside of Jones, O'Neill said the combination of redshirt junior Aaron Fuller (transfer from Iowa), redshirt sophomore Dewayne Dedmon (transfer from Antelope Valley) and James Blasczyk (transfer from Lee College) will be pivotal to the team's success this year. Despite sustaining a fracture on his shooting hand earlier this week, Dedmon continues to practice (albeit it with a boxing glove-like cast (pictured right by Pedro Moura/ ESPN LA), and looks to be a dominant force on the boards. While his offensive game is still rather raw, look for him to be a go-to option in the post as the season progresses. While Fuller (9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds for the Hawkeyes in 2009-2010) is only 6-foot-6, the native of Mesa, AZ, certainly plays bigger inside than his frame would indicate, and most likely will begin the season as the starting power forward. At 7-foot-1, 260 pounds, Blasczyk (0.4 points and 0.3 rebounds for Texas A&M in 2009-2010) fills a void left in the middle by the departures of Nikola Vucevic and Alex Stepheson. While he doesn't have the shooting stroke of Vucevic or the knack for shot blocking like Stepheson, his energy level and physicality at both ends will earn him valuable minutes in O'Neill's rotation.
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Here's coach Kevin O'Neill discussing the challenges that lie ahead for his inexperienced team, as well as freshman Alexis Moore, who discusses his role with the team and what his relationship is like with back court mate Maurice Jones.
