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USC Improves To 2-0 On Foreign Tour, Defeats A French Select Team 90-67
August 11, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Features
Freshman Okongwu leads USC with 28 points and 9 rebounds
CANNES, FRANCE – – USC bounced back from a slow start to defeat a French Select team 90-67 behind 28 points and nine rebounds from freshman Onyeka Okongwu at the Stade Maurice JeanPierre in Cannes, France today (Aug. 11). Â
All nine Trojans who played scored and each of USC's players started a half, with freshman Max Agbonkpolo getting the nod for both halves.
USC made 46.2 percent of its shots, while holding France to a 38.8 shooting percentage. France opened the game by making seven of its first eight shots, including 4-for-4 from three-point range to take 15-2 and 22-6 leads before the Trojans settled in and cut it to 29-19 at the end of the first quarter.
USC trailed 33-27 with 6:35 remaining in the second quarter, but finished the half on a 22-3 run to take a 49-36 lead at the break. Okongwu scored 16 of his 28 points in the first half and finished the game making 13 of 15 shots. USC tied it at 35-all on a steal by senior Nick Rakovevic who fed Onkongu for a massive dunk, one of his four in the game. Senior Jonah Mathews then made a layup for the lead and followed it up with a steal, layup and a free throw to push the lead to 40-35. USC continued its run to 16-0 and a 49-35 lead, before the French Select team hit a free throw to end the first half. USC outscored the French Select team 30-7 in the second quarter.
USC then scored the first six points of the second half and never looked back. USC had a 50-40 rebound advantage. Rakocevic finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, while sophomore Elijah Weaver had 15 points and Agbonkpolo added 10.
The Trojans did struggle from three-point range today, missing their first 19 shots from behind the arc before Weaver hit back-to-back threes late in the game. Mathews, who finished with seven points, suffered a left knee contusion with just over five minutes remaining in the game and had to come out. He will be re-examined, but likely will not play in the Trojans' final game of the foreign tour. After the French Select team's hot start, USC held them to 32.3 percent shooting and 13.0 percent from three-point range the final three and a half quarters.
Scoring for USC today was as follows: Onyeka Okongwu (28), Elijah Weaver (15), Nick Rakocevic (12), Max Agbonkpolo (10), Jonah Mathews (7), Quinton Adlesh (6), Daniel Utomi (5), Kyle Sturdivant (4) and Ethan Anderson (3).
Earlier in the day the Trojans' traveling party took a catamaran tour on the Mediterranean Sea outside of Ile Saint Honorat and spent some time swimming, snorkeling, kayaking and paddle boarding.
USC will remain in Cannes for one more day which will include a day trip to Monaco before traveling to Paris. USC will play a Lithuanian Select team on Aug. 14 in Paris.
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All nine Trojans who played scored and each of USC's players started a half, with freshman Max Agbonkpolo getting the nod for both halves.
USC made 46.2 percent of its shots, while holding France to a 38.8 shooting percentage. France opened the game by making seven of its first eight shots, including 4-for-4 from three-point range to take 15-2 and 22-6 leads before the Trojans settled in and cut it to 29-19 at the end of the first quarter.
USC trailed 33-27 with 6:35 remaining in the second quarter, but finished the half on a 22-3 run to take a 49-36 lead at the break. Okongwu scored 16 of his 28 points in the first half and finished the game making 13 of 15 shots. USC tied it at 35-all on a steal by senior Nick Rakovevic who fed Onkongu for a massive dunk, one of his four in the game. Senior Jonah Mathews then made a layup for the lead and followed it up with a steal, layup and a free throw to push the lead to 40-35. USC continued its run to 16-0 and a 49-35 lead, before the French Select team hit a free throw to end the first half. USC outscored the French Select team 30-7 in the second quarter.
USC then scored the first six points of the second half and never looked back. USC had a 50-40 rebound advantage. Rakocevic finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, while sophomore Elijah Weaver had 15 points and Agbonkpolo added 10.
The Trojans did struggle from three-point range today, missing their first 19 shots from behind the arc before Weaver hit back-to-back threes late in the game. Mathews, who finished with seven points, suffered a left knee contusion with just over five minutes remaining in the game and had to come out. He will be re-examined, but likely will not play in the Trojans' final game of the foreign tour. After the French Select team's hot start, USC held them to 32.3 percent shooting and 13.0 percent from three-point range the final three and a half quarters.
Scoring for USC today was as follows: Onyeka Okongwu (28), Elijah Weaver (15), Nick Rakocevic (12), Max Agbonkpolo (10), Jonah Mathews (7), Quinton Adlesh (6), Daniel Utomi (5), Kyle Sturdivant (4) and Ethan Anderson (3).
Earlier in the day the Trojans' traveling party took a catamaran tour on the Mediterranean Sea outside of Ile Saint Honorat and spent some time swimming, snorkeling, kayaking and paddle boarding.
USC will remain in Cannes for one more day which will include a day trip to Monaco before traveling to Paris. USC will play a Lithuanian Select team on Aug. 14 in Paris.
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