Larry Friend
Former USC Record-Setting Point Guard Larry Friend Dies
May 18, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Features
He set since-broken Trojan game, season, career assists records.
Larry Friend, a 3-year starting point guard at USC in the mid-1980s who set school records for assists in a game, season and career, died of cancer on Tuesday (May 15) in Anaheim, Calif. He was 54.
Services will be held on May 25 at 11 a.m. at Breath of Life Seventh-day Adventist Church, 425 So. La Brea Ave., Inglewood, Calif. 90301.
Friend, a 5-11, 155-pounder who came to USC as an All-L.A. City guard from Jordan High, lettered for 3 seasons (1984-85-86) at Troy. Known for his quickness, passing ability and defensive prowess, he set since-broken USC assist records for a game (14 versus Texas in 1985), season (176 in 1985) and career (409). In his career, he averaged 4.2 assists along with 3.7 points.
A 3-time winner of USC's Best Defensive Player award, he was the team's MVP and Most Inspirational Player as a 1986 senior captain. As a 1985 junior while leading the Pac-10 in assists (6.1), he helped USC earn a berth in the NCAA tourney after the Trojans captured a share of the Pac-10 title (the program's last league title). He hit game-winning shots against both Stanford (1984) and Oregon State (1985) and free throws versus UCLA (1986).
After USC, Friend worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District and also was an assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, Jordan High.
He is survived by his wife Loiscea, daughter Lakeisha, granddaughter Amari Hudson, mother Dorothy Friend, 5 sisters (Rebecca Williams, Rosie Friend, Irma Friend, Jacqueline Friend and Senolia Willingham) and 4 brothers (Winston Friend II, Jeffrey Friend Sr., Mitchell Friend Sr. and Sylvester Willingham).
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Services will be held on May 25 at 11 a.m. at Breath of Life Seventh-day Adventist Church, 425 So. La Brea Ave., Inglewood, Calif. 90301.
Friend, a 5-11, 155-pounder who came to USC as an All-L.A. City guard from Jordan High, lettered for 3 seasons (1984-85-86) at Troy. Known for his quickness, passing ability and defensive prowess, he set since-broken USC assist records for a game (14 versus Texas in 1985), season (176 in 1985) and career (409). In his career, he averaged 4.2 assists along with 3.7 points.
A 3-time winner of USC's Best Defensive Player award, he was the team's MVP and Most Inspirational Player as a 1986 senior captain. As a 1985 junior while leading the Pac-10 in assists (6.1), he helped USC earn a berth in the NCAA tourney after the Trojans captured a share of the Pac-10 title (the program's last league title). He hit game-winning shots against both Stanford (1984) and Oregon State (1985) and free throws versus UCLA (1986).
After USC, Friend worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District and also was an assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, Jordan High.
He is survived by his wife Loiscea, daughter Lakeisha, granddaughter Amari Hudson, mother Dorothy Friend, 5 sisters (Rebecca Williams, Rosie Friend, Irma Friend, Jacqueline Friend and Senolia Willingham) and 4 brothers (Winston Friend II, Jeffrey Friend Sr., Mitchell Friend Sr. and Sylvester Willingham).
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