Andy Enfield enters his third year as a head coach with just one senior on the roster, but he is returning eight players who have started at least 15 games, while also adding two top 50 recruits to the mix causing people around 'SC to be thrilled about this season's potential.
The Trojans have plenty of depth at the guard position with sophomore point guard Jordan McLaughlin returning from season-ending shoulder surgery last year to captain the USC offense. McLaughlin, who was still named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team despite the injury, will have plenty of experienced shooters to dish to including the team leader in scoring (12.5 ppg) from last year in redshirt junior Katin Reinhardt. Alongside Reinhardt will be junior Julian Jacobs, who led the team in assists last season (113) and sophomore Elijah Stewart, who tied a school record for makes without a miss last season when he went 10-for-10 from the floor against Boston College. Malik Marquetti, a versatile 6-foot-6 wing, who finished the last five games of the season with an impressive 45 percent from three-point range, rounds out the Trojan guard rotation as another viable shooting threat.
The guards are anchored by a group of post players who bring height, strength and a little bit of raw athletic ability to complete this USC roster. Veteran Nikola Jovanovic returns after playing for the Serbian National Team at the World University Games this summer. The junior forward led the Trojans in rebounding, averaging 7.0 boards a game, and was one of only eight players in the Pac-12 to rank in the top 21 in scoring and rebounding. He also was one of only two players from that group of 21 to shoot over 50 percent from the field. Joining Jovanovic is sophomore Malik Martin who started 15 games as a freshman. The forward led the Trojans in shooting percentage (52.4 percent) and was second on the team in dunks (16) providing a little flash to this USC offense. The Trojans also return redshirt junior Darion Clark and the lone senior, Strahinja Gavrilovic, to add experience, leadership and depth to USC's big-man rotation.
However, all eyes are on the Trojan newcomers in Chimezie Metu and Bennie Boatwright. Metu brings pure, raw talent to this team with his ability to block just about anything as he averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks a game in high school. Boatwright is similar in the sense that he's a player Trojan fans aren't used to seeing don the Cardinal & Gold. The 6-foot-10 forward can hit a shot from anywhere as he averaged 27.8 points per game in high school and 13 rebounds leading his team to the Southern Section 1AA title and Player of the Year recognition for his division.
Be sure to come see the fresh, new talent as they take the floor for the first time alongside veterans like Jacobs and Jovanavic for the Trojans' season opener against San Diego at the Galen Center on Friday at 5:00p.m. Click here to purchase tickets for Friday's game or any of the exciting match-ups for this upcoming season.
