SB Nation - Daniel Hackett

Six Games In, USC Hoops Providing Only a Few Answers

Joey Kaufman — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:09:46 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

Just six games into the 2009-2010 college basketball season, there are still plenty of questions surrounding Kevin O'Neill's rag-tag Trojan bunch. USC, which presently holds a rather pedestrian 2-4 record, has proven capable of competing with some of the nation's top teams (see: Thursday's game at Texas), while at the same time, they have also showed a tendency to lose to inferior opponents (see: a November 21^st home loss to LMU). Based solely on these games, it can be rather difficult to evaluate these Trojans, who continue to raise numerous question marks that make in nearly impossible for ‘SC fans and casual observers to form any conclusions regarding this year's squad. However, even with that said, there are still a few things that the early part of the season has taught us:

1.) Nikola Vucevic is a budding star

After just six games, one thing is absolutely clear: Nikola Vucevic is the most skilled big man in the Pac-10 conference. I don't mean to suggest that he is the most complete player or the most physically dominant. In fact, I strongly believe his shot-blocking, defensive positioning, and ability to run a pick-and-roll could all use some work, especially at this stage in his career. However, I do mean to suggest that the true sophomore is the most complete big man that the conference has to offer in terms of offensive skills and fundamentals. He is capable of scoring in numerous ways, either down at the block or 10-15 feet away from the basket. So far this year, "Kid Euro," as the message board geeks frequently call him, has averaged a double-double with 14.5 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game despite attempting just 11.5 field goals per game. As the season progresses, expect Vucevic's offensive efficiency to continue to grow.

2.) Donte Smith is not an adequate Pac-10 point guard

Personally, I really like Donte Smith. The guy is a hard worker, and he lost a ton of weight this past offseason in order to better serve a depleted Trojan team this year. However, despite his efforts, there is still very little reason to believe that the Pomona, California native can actually serve as an effective point guard for the Trojans. Early results indicate that Smith is incapable of distributing the ball to the team's scorers efficiently, as he presently posts a sub-par assist-to-turnover ratio of 2:5. That isn't going to cut in the Pac-10, even if it's a down year for the conference.

3.) Free throw shooting is still an issue

Under Tim Floyd, free throw shooting served as the team's Achilles' heel, as poor shooting down the stretch often proved extremely detrimental to the team's chances of success. It doesn't appear any different in 2009, as the team collectively holds a free throw shooting percentage of 67%. That just isn't going to win games. As the 2007-2008 Memphis Tigers proved, free throw shooting can often determine results and when a team is shooting this poorly from the charity stripe, it's tough to imagine them winning any close games.

4.) Dwight Lewis should not be your best player

Being one of the few holdovers from the Tim Floyd era, it is understandable as to why so many fans and media members were prepared to anoint Dwight Lewis as the savior for the 2009-2010 USC basketball season. But early results indicate that Lewis is not prepared to shoulder the burden as the team's leader. Through six games, the Louisiana native, who averaged 14.4 points per game last season, has posted an average of just 10.7 points per game. That won't satisfy too many people, especially after the senior captain was expected to shoulder much of the offensive burden with the departures of DeMar DeRozan, Taj Gibson, and Daniel Hackett. What has been the most disturbing aspect of Lewis's season thus far has been his tendency to be a complete non-factor in some games. After scoring a season-high 22 points in the opener against UC Riverside, he scored just 11 and 6 in the following two games against Loyola Marymount and Coppin State. In Saturday's debacle at Georgia Tech, in which the Trojans lost by 26 points, Lewis scored zero points while playing just six minutes. It's a bad sign when your supposedly top player can score over 20 points in one game yet fail to score at all in another.

5.) Reinforcements are needed

In the season opener against UCR, Kevin O'Neill played just seven players - a clear indication of the team's severe lack of depth at this point in the season. Luckily, help is on the way. North Carolina transfer, Alex Stepheson, who missed the first two games of the season, has come on strong as of late. Against Texas, Stepheson was a severe disappointment after going 0-for-8 from the field, while scoring just 1 point. Yes, he did grab eight rebounds, which was a much needed boost for the team, but his offensive capabilities were severely limited. However, against Georgia Tech, it looked as if the 6'9" center had finally turned the corner by scoring 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting and grabbing 7 rebounds. If he can be that productive on the offensive end, then the Trojans will have a nice inside combination of Stepheson and Vucevic. Yet, even the return of Stepheson to form won't be enough to catapult the Trojans into the upper-echelon of the conference. They will need Mike Gerrity, a transfer from Charlotte who is eligible to play in January, to be capable of taking over the point from Smith, and Leonard Washington to continue to build upon a solid freshman season from a year ago when he returns in late December. Provided, these players can be productive, the Trojans will suddenly have a much deeper, talented roster for Pac-10 play.

Our own Mock Draft: The Worst Off-Season Moves

SFBE.NF — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:22:17 -0000

There's a lot of guessing going on with who will go where and when and why during Thursday's NBA Draft. No need for that here. It's a fairly crappy draft, and outside of the top three, many of the players look the same to us. We have deferred this analysis for others, sticking solely to our game and what we have seen develop so far this off-season.

5. Lance Stephenson still looking for a home
Lance Stephenson is dumb. As one of the most decorated players in New York City prep ball history, Stephenson had his pick of a bevy of heavy hitters in the college basketball world. To date, Stephenson has balked on his trip across the pond to play professionally. He has been accused of groping a 17 year old girl and is awaiting his hearing. His father is a menace to coaches on the sidelines and Stephenson is literally and figuratively "dumb," academic eligibility is in question. Wait, academic eligibility is in question? Is that why Memphis is really the only program still blowing up Stephenson's celly?

4. Devo and Paul Harris play puff puff pass, then enter the NBA Draft
Syracuse's Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris had a "brain-storming" session in early April, and the resulting decision was tragically never second guessed. The level of THC was not measured during said brain-storming but we're pretty certain that Krayzie Bone did not chime through their AIWA stereo and preach to them of the royalties to come in the NBA. These two tatted up, "one trick ponies" have ZERO chance of hearing their name called by any NBA team on Thursday night. Devendorf is too annoying and Harris is a 6'5 brick-house without a jump shot. Should any NBA Scout even be familiar with these two knuckleheads, he/she should probably be fired immediately.

3. Look! There's a child manning the Memphis sidelines
Seems like the remaining Tiger players and new coach have all chipped in for the industrial pack of Advil from Costco. It will be needed. The true "King of Memphis" left the program and all the recruits split as well. John Calipari left just before the academic injustice sh*t-storm walked into Memphis. Josh Pastner, 31, now takes over a program that may be facing some penalties, or at least a hit on their swagger. C-USA may now become as irrelevant as the America East Conference, a play-in game/one bid league.

2. Meeks gambles to inherit millions
Jodie Meeks, the deadly downtown assassin, has declared himself for the NBA Draft. Now on the surface, it seems like a logical decision for the kid who dropped 54 points on the Tennessee Vols but for college basketball fanatics, we have lost a chance to see the most exciting pre-season reach the status and hype of the Fab Five or LJ and Stacey Aug's Runnin'Reb's. John Calipari steps into Lexington with #1 recruit John Wall and inherits big man Patrick Patterson, had Meeks stayed the certainty of bringing the nets back to UK seemed inevitable. We will tip out cap to Meeks, grudgingly.

1. University of Self-Indulged Choices

University of Southern California, oh how the sun does not shine down on thee. Two years ago Tim Floyd signed OJ Mayo and it was only a matter of time before the truth would be revealed. During Mayo's one year stay at USC, it has been confirmed that Floyd arranged for improper benefits be paid to the young stud. Floyd resigned and the roster of the Trojans has suffered the loss of three key underclassmen, DeMar DeRozan, Daniel Hackett and Taj Gibson. Hey, at least they still have Lil' Romeo. USC has since hired Lute Olsen's replacement at Arizona, Kevin O'Neill. O'Neill apparently "knows" the game but according to former Wildcat players, oil and water don't mix. We might as well throw in the fact that a former USC player was picked up this past week on an alleged car hijacking charge. Can Will Ferrell please do a funnyordie.com skit on this toilet bowl program?

Wednesday Workout: Terrence Williams and Some Longshots

Seth — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:49:05 -0000

Each of the workouts so far has included at least one or two players predicted to be reasonable selections at the Knicks' number 8 spot. Today's has a different feel. Terrence Williams of Louisville is the big name of the bunch, but he's generally projected in the mid- to late-first round. The rest of the list includes a few names you may recognize, but nobody expected to warrant a first-round pick next week. From Zag's Blog:

Nemanja Aleksandrov – Forward, 7-0, 220, Serbia & Montenegro

Brandon Costner – Forward, 6-9, 230, North Carolina State, junior

Daniel Hackett – Guard, 6-5, 215, Southern California, junior

Chartrael Hall – Guard, 6-2, Bellarmine University, senior

Kyle McAlarney – Guard, 6-0, 195, Notre Dame, senior

Hackett's a solid defender at the two-guard (and friend of Danilo Gallinari), but has a contract worked out with Bennetton Treviso, so he's not all that invested in the draft. McAlarny, according to Chris Alvino at TKB, is "a Staten Island kid who was the best high school player I have ever seen live". Costner's a Jersey kid who put up reasonably solid numbers at NC State, and who can forget Swing Vote? Mr. Hall's first name reminds me of these, so I like him right off the bat. Aleksandrov was once thought to be a lottery pick but is in the midst of recovering from ACL surgery. He's compared to Keith Van Horn. Intriguing.

At the very least, we should expect to see a few of these guys make it onto the Knicks' summer league squad. At the very most, this can be taken as a good sign that Donnie Walsh is working to acquire a later pick. This draft's wealth of guards extends deep into the second round, so grabbing a later selection could mean a free shot at more backcourt help. Or we could get Vyacheslav Kravtsov. There's a world of possibilities.

Declaration day: Pac-10's losers and winners

Nuss — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:00:46 -0000

More photos » by Reed Saxon - AP

That constipated look on Ben Howland's face? He's wondering just who the heck is going to play point for his team next year now that Jrue Holiday is officially gone. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Browse more photos »

The deadline for underclassmen to announce their final intentions for the NBA Draft came and went yesterday. Here's a quick look and the losers and winners, from biggest to smallest, along with my way-too-early Pac-10 power rankings for next season.

LOSERS

USC: A couple of months ago, this pretty clearly would have been Arizona. Not anymore. Tim Floyd has resigned in disgrace and DeMar DeRozan, Taj Gibson and Daniel Hackett (!) are gone. I think it's become obvious that the program is in need of some serious house cleaning -- beyond these players leaving, there were some serious fractures on that team last year. The recruiting cupboard is all but bare, and there are likely sanctions on the way. Not a good day to be a Trojan. (But I guess we could say that about any day, right?)
Arizona State: James Harden is gone, and anyone who watched the Sun Devils play when he wasn't on the floor the last two years -- or when his legs finally gave out from inexcusable overuse -- know what that means. Herb Sendek has what appears to be a good recruiting class coming in, but let's be frank: None of them are game changers like Harden. He was a special kind of player that made Sendek look like a darn good coach. Let's see what he can do now that he doesn't have Harden around to ride like Secretariat.
Arizona: Boy, have the Wildcats pulled one heck of a magic act. In November, they were in complete disarray. Lute Olson was retiring just before the start of the season and their first choice for interim coach didn't want the job. Then, the season was mediocre by their standards, recruiting was at a standstill and it looked like their Big Three was bolting for the NBA. Now, they've got a fantastic coach in Sean Miller (after serendipitously being spurned by Tim Floyd), an unbelievable recruiting class considering the wreck this program was just a couple of months ago, and they're only losing Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill -- Nic Wise returns. Still not a great day for Arizona, but holy cow could it have been a lot worse.
UCLA: Had UCLA successfully recruited a point guard for this draft class, I suppose it would be debatable whether UCLA even belonged in the loser category, even with the loss of Jrue Holiday, who was never as good in LA as he was supposed to be. But with Darren Collison graduating and Holiday staying in the draft, the Bruins have a ton of question marks at the lead spot. Their leading returning assist men? Nikola Dragovic and Michael Roll. Yeah.

WINNERS

Cal: While traditional powers such as Arizona and UCLA got worse, Cal didn't have even one of its talented underclassmen test the draft waters. That means Jerome Randle, Patrick Christopher, Jamal Boykin and the rest of the Bears' roster will return. No team will be poised to take advantage of other teams' losses more than Cal, which will be a top 10 team heading into next season. The scary part is that they've got a coach who's used to his teams having to live up to high expectations. Watch out.
Washington: At the end of the year, people actually said with a straight face that Isaiah Thomas might declare for the draft. He didn't, and neither did Quincy Pondexter. With a fantastic recruiting class coming in led by Abdul Gaddy, the only thing keeping the Huskies from being a winner on Cal's level is the enormous question mark in the frontcourt where Jon Brockman used to be.
Washington State, Oregon State, Oregon, Stanford: This is a great time to be a program on the rise in the conference. After having some of the best teams in the country in 2007-08 and being unbelievably balanced last season, this figures to be a good time to be heading north, what with the traditional powers being down. There's room to move, and each of these programs have hope for the upcoming season that they can make that move.

Way-Too-Early Pac-10 Power Rankings

Cal - New version of WSU 2007-08 ... but with more talent. Scary.
Washington - Could easily repeat as Pac-10 champs if even one of their big men steps up inside. None of this foo-foo face up stuff; who will get dirty?
UCLA - I'm betting Ben Howland can figure out an adequate solution at PG.
Arizona - This shows just how fast it drops off after top 3. Depth still will be a major issue, but the combo of Wise and Fogg will make for a formidable backcourt.
Oregon State - This is a tough one: Does the Pac-10 stop being fooled by the Princeton offense, or does OSU get even better after another year in the system?
Arizona State - Still lots of experience here. Derek Glasser is underrated -- I understand, it's tough to take that chest hair seriously -- and Ty Abbott could be the breakout player of the year in the conference out of Harden's shadow.
Washington State - My heart wants to rank the Cougs higher, but with a new coach and still loads of inexperienced players ...
Oregon - Lots of talent. However, Ernie Kent doesn't exactly have a track record of coaching guys up to dramatic improvements between their first and second year. Look for the Ducks to be better in 2010-11. If Kent can hang on that long.
Stanford - Big losses (Goods, Hill, Johnson) and a solid-but-unspectacular recruiting class don't scream "mover and shaker."
USC - Until they get a coach and one or two of the as-yet-unsigned recruits, this is a team staring at the bottom of the conference.

WTLC 2009 NBA Pre-Draft Coverage: OKC Thunder Work Out 12 Players

Mr Pappagiorgio — Sat, 09 May 2009 02:44:57 -0000

So you may have read about the Oklahoma City Thunder working out 12 players who will be part of the 2009 NBA Draft, in Darnell Mayberry's Thunder Rumblings Blog. The list of players, as you will see below, isn't exactly the caliber of player we would see the Thunder taking at #25 overall in the first round. Being as we only have two picks during the draft this season, both of which are first rounders, one might beg the question, why are the Thunder looking at these players? If you are, you are not the only one, some of the regulars who frequent the OKC Thunder Fans Forum, are wondering the same thing. One of our semi-regular commenters here at WTLC, A.D., brought up the point that they are working these guys out as likely free agent signings after the draft. While that is one good theory, WTLC has another theory that wasn't brought up during the thread linked above.

In THIS POST, which was made earlier in the week, we made the argument that at least 5 players, possibly 6, would probably not be returning next season, along with 2 more possibly headed for a season in Tulsa to gain experience and develop their game by getting substantially more playing time than they would be if they were sitting on the Thunder bench. So when considering that, and the fact the two of those guys are still sitting on contracts (Atkins and Watson), you can begin to put the pieces together as to why the Thunder might be working out some of these players, and although some may be looked at for post draft free agent signings, perhaps others are being looked at for 2nd Round Draft Choices. Did that get your attention? Thought so, now make the jump...

Before we get any further, I'm sure you are wondering who the 12 players are, right?

...from Thunder Rumblings. (Link at the top of this post)

Oklahoma State’s Terrell Harris, Texas’ A.J. Abrams, Marquette’s Jerel McNeal and USC’s Daniel Hackett headline this first group, which is filled with guards and has only one player listed taller than 6-foot-6.

Other players include: Jack McClinton (Miami), Paul Delaney (UAB), Jermaine Taylor (UCF), Garrett Temple (LSU), Courtney Fells (N.C. State), Josh Carter (Texas A&M), Joe Ingles (Melbourne Dragons) and Aaron Jackson (Duquesne).

So now you see why everyone is sort of wondering why the Thunder worked out these twelve players huh? We'll, lets jump in. Like we mentioned before, the Thunder have two guys in Earl Watson and Chucky Atkins that are likely to be traded and that could happen during the draft itself. The Thunder have value in the sense that both of these guys are expiring contracts and either one could likely be traded to a team looking to focus on creating room for the free agent bonanza in 2010, and its not entirely out of the question that either one could be traded straight up for a 2nd round pick (More than likely a late 2nd round choice).

Another trade scenario is that the Thunder aren't in Love with anyone at the #25 choice and doesn't want to get involved with guarantees that go along with first round selections. On draft day you might see the Thunder trade this pick for a pair of 2nd round choices or even package Atkins or Watson together with this pick, for a veteran player with multiple years left on his contract, and a 2nd round pick. Perhaps the Thunder really like what they see out of several of these workouts, we might even see both of those scenarios play out. Can you imagine the Thunder trading the 25th overall pick, Chucky Atkins, and Earl Watson all on draft day during multiple trades to pick up 3 or so 2nd round picks? To be honest, that's a bit of a stretch, but what I'm trying to emphasize here is, that the Thunder may very well be looking these guys to draft, in the 2nd round, as opposed to post-draft signing or using up that #25 overall pick.

A very big reason why I think you will probably see a trade during the draft and the Thunder acquiring a second round pick is because a good number of these guys are projected to go in the 2nd round. Seriously, why would the Thunder be working out players who are almost definitely going to go in the 2nd round, like Jermaine Taylor who is projected to go as high as #41 over at NBADraft.net in their Full 2 round mock draft. There you can take a quick peak and see where they think some of these guys are likely to go. We all know Sam Presti isn't hesitant to pull the trigger on any deal he feels will help the Thunder, and I just can't wait to finally see what he ends up doing. What do you guys think? Are the Thunder looking to ditch their #25 pick and drop to round 2? Or are they looking to sign these guys to free agent contracts or as possible project players at their D-League affiliate, the Tulsa 66ers?

Also, what do you think about going after Marcin Gortat? Read our thoughts and comment here: Free Agent Targets: Marcin Gortat?

Like this article? You might like our EOS Series too! (Click a Picture below to read our Final Evaluations)

USC is also going to be really bad next season

SFBE.MP — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:41:59 -0000

Tim Floyd is a door mat of a coach. The "hit it and quit it" tenure as a Southern Cal basketball player has become the norm. A week after Floyd announced his decision to remain the Head Coach of the USC Trojans rather than take the suspect Arizona Wildcats opening, three of his own minions have decided his display of loyalty was not enough to keep them in the land of palm trees and pretty girls.

One year ago, O.J Mayo rented a college dorm room while training for the NBA at USC and this year's Freshman du jour, DeMar DeRozan has done the same thing. DeRozan has declared himself for the NBA draft but will apparently not hire an agent, creating the smallest ray of hope for Trojan faithful. Accompanying DeRozan out the doors of the Galen Center are Taj Gibson and Daniel Hackett, both Juniors. Hackett will hire and agent but Gibson might leave the door to return open. If all three wait for their name to be called by David Stern then USC stands to lose sixty percent (40.5 ppg) of their scoring from 2009-2009.

Maybe Lil' Romeo will now see some court action after all.

Report: Hackett to enter NBA...will sign with agent

Paragon SC — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:17:12 -0000

Now, this news isn't shocking but it is a bit perplexing.

USC junior guard Daniel Hackett will declare for the draft and sign with ASM sports, agent Andrew Vye told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.

Hackett is the second USC player to officially enter the draft Wednesday. Freshman DeMar DeRozan told the Orange County Register that he declared. He said that he was 50-50 on whether to sign with an agent and stay in the draft. USC junior Taj Gibson is also considering entering but hasn't made a public decision yet.

What is odd here is that even though its early yet, Hackett's projection in the draft is a bit of a question mark. On the one hand the conventional wisdom seems to be that Hackett is a combo guard where on the other he isn't an NBA caliber player. The other thought is that because of his Italian roots Hackett would probably end up playing in Europe.

The one thing to keep in mind is that there is a bit of a numbers crunch in regards to available schollies. Hackett is taking a non-scholarship roster spot but if Tim Floyd wants to land all of the players he wants for next season he needs to come up with the roster spots and playing time for the new recruits.

One thing is for sure...its going to be an interesting off-season.

Should I stay or should I go now... 2009 Edition

Paragon SC — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:55:40 -0000

It's that time of year again...

With USC's basketball season officially over the inevitable question of who stays and who goes are already being asked.This is always tricky, players like Mayo and DeRozan are pretty much guaranteed pretty big paydays while players like Davon Jefferson make the jump and fall terribly short of their goal. DFWTrojan has a good write up about it in the FanPosts.

That's how it is in college hoops today...its tough to keep top talent on the roster but to me the bigger problem isn't so much the talent, Tim Floyd is doing a pretty good job of recruiting solid players, but the effect of the revolving door of talent can take its toll. I am a big team chemistry kind of guy and players jumping in and out of the program make it more difficult for a team to gel.

USC didn't look as if it was going anywhere this season, except maybe the NIT, until a five-game winning streak took the Trojans from the middle of the Pac to their first conference tournament championship. Then came an upset win over Boston College in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

"This season, we learned how to be a team," junior guard Daniel Hackett said. "We learned how to be united no matter what people are saying outside. I'm proud of the way some guys responded. As far as [the Michigan State] game, we should be proud of the way we played."

Now the question is, can they keep it going? The Trojans could return all five starters and have new talent available. But on the Internet, mock NBA drafts indicate the potential for plenty of turnover.

DeMar DeRozan could be USC's third one-and-done freshman in two seasons, joining O.J. Mayo and Davon Jefferson from last season. DeRozan, who elevated his game the last three weeks, is projected as a high first-round pick.

Hackett and forward Taj Gibson are projected as second-round picks. Hackett is the team's point guard and Gibson led the Trojans in scoring and rebounding.

All three players said they would make decisions after consulting with their families and Floyd. Hackett seems to be the hardest to replace, as the Trojans are lacking point guards and recruited none for next season. Mike Gerrity transferred from North Carolina Charlotte -- having transferred there from Pepperdine -- but he won't be eligible until midseason.

I have already noted that I think Taj Gibson's time at USC is done. He has pretty much built his game as far as he can and based on some of his comments after the BC game he feels he redeemed himself from last years 1st round exit against Kansas State, to me thats pretty strong sign that its time for him to go.

DeRozan did nothing if he didn't launch his NBA stock late in the season. He clearly became the darling of the pundits with his performance in the Pac-10 Tournament and what we witnessed is what we knew was always there...it just took a little bit of time for it to blossom.

Daniel Hackett is the enigma...some see him as a possible 2nd round pick while many others think that he has no chance at making the NBA, at least for this season, and that he would probably end up playing in Europe. Hard to tell but I really don't think that he leaving, he isn't taking up a scholarship spot and he isn't paying for his education so why leave when you can be the unquestioned leader of the team as a senior.

I am also not going to delude myself into thinking that SC is now going to dominate the Pac-10 year in and year out. If everyone stays they have an excellent chance at winning the Pac-10 next season because of their experience but the numbers are going to be a problem. Foster points out in his piece that Tim Floyd has to be pretty sure he is losing some players too, with 12 players on scholarship and with 5 incoming commits somethings gotta give. Miller will off of scholarship and the inevitable transfer or academic casualty will probably raise its ugly head so one can never know how it will work out. My only problem is that to me its hard to build a core when top talent leaves year in and year out.

Floyd understands that as well...

"You know, we're a team that has talent and it's young talent," Floyd said. "Maybe that's the nature of college basketball today. But if there is some way we can keep them together and add what we have coming back next year, we've got a chance to be, you know, a special team.
"But we could have said that last year with O.J. (Mayo) and Davon (Jefferson) coming with this group, and could have said it the year before with Nick (Young) and Gabe (Pruitt) coming back with O.J. and Daniel (Hackett) and Dwight (Lewis) and Taj.

"But that's the nature of the college game right now. And hopefully these young guys will return and we will improve as a basketball team."

I think that is wishful thinking...who wouldn't loved seeing Mayo and Jefferson on this team? Who wouldn't love to DeRozan and Taj play with this incoming class? I was actually more disappointed that Jefferson left than I was Mayo because Mayo leaving was a foregone conclusion...in the end its a big "what if".

It would be great to everyone return but that is hioghly unlikely so I am fully prepared to see a totally different team next season...its the nature of the beast

USC Hoops Season Retrospective: Top 5 Moments

Laughing Stock — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:58:21 -0000

5. Dwight Lewis Comes Up Big Against Oklahoma

via nbcsportsmedia2.msnbc.com

Although shooting guard Dwight Lewis has played somewhat erratically this season, in a hostile road environment on the road against Oklahoma he kept SC in the mix late into the game. The junior tied Sooner Blake Griffin with 25 points to lead all scorers, and connected on 3-4 shots from behind the arc to go along with a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line. Although SC lost the game 72-71, it was great to see Lewis play up to his potential by shooting with confidence and leading his team against a talented OU squad. Dwight also had a big game in another tight loss against Michigan State.

4. Taj Gibson "Finesses" His Way to a Perfect Game

via msnbcmedia.msn.com

Taj Gibson has been one of the steadiest players throughout the entire season, but really showed the ability to step up and dominate with aggressive play. Gibson logged 24 points on 10-10 shooting (including a pair of earth shattering dunks) to go with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Not only that, but he also imposed his will on defense with 3 blocks on route to helping the team hold BC to only 32.7% shooting. The spectacular performance made the three year starter one of only four players in tournament history to have perfect shooting nights with at least 10 attempts. I wonder what Josh Southern had to say about west coast toughness after this game?

3. Marcus Johnson Shows No Regard For Human Life

Marcus Johnson posterizes Jorge Gutierrez - USC vs Cal Slam Dunk (via VCTrojan)

The single best dunk of the season came courtesy not of the Vince Carteresque Demar Derozan, but instead from fellow super athlete Marcus Johnson. Although the Senior transfer from UConn may only get to play half of one season, he definitely left his mark on the program with this spectacular play. Although Johnson wasn't the same after injuring his shoulder, his play early in the conference season was crucial in wins over Stanford, Cal, and Washington State, and his combination of quickness and length continued to bother opposing teams after his return. Now it is up to the NCAA to determine if he will play another season as a Trojan.

Top 2 after the jump!

2. Hackett Comes Through Against the Arizona Schools

via www.latimes.com

Hackett's stats simply don't do him justice for this pair of games. On the home stand he scored a paltry 15 points on 4-14 shooting, but his play was crucial to both victories. Against the Sun Devils Hackett held the Pac 10's leading scorer to 4 points on 0-8 shooting, which prompted a chant of "ZERO POINTS! ZERO POINTS!" from the student section when Harden got to the line late in teh game to shoot a pair of free throws. Two days later the junior PG drove the ball up court in the waning seconds against Arizona and drew a foul from Jamelle Horn which allowed him to score the game's final point giving USC the 65-64 victory. Hackett would continue to make clutch plays and became the go to option in late game situations.

1. Demar Derozan Throws Down against UCLA and Leads USC to a Pac 10 Title

DeMar DeRozan highlights vs. UCLA March 13, 2009 21 pts, 5 dunks (via bochan228)

What more is there left to write about USC's improbable run to their first Pac 10 tournament title? Derozan was at the absolute top of his game and played like a future all star on his way to being named the tournament's most outstanding season. More importantly, the team as a whole finally played up to their potential and salvaged an often frustrating season. On the whole though, Derozan deserves a ton of credit for the team's post season success and may have played himself into the top half of the lottery.

Q&A With BC All Access UPDATE

Laughing Stock — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:01:40 -0000

Part two of our in depth investigative series features questions served up by BC All Access. As you read these, stop to contemplate these two fine universities shared dislike of Notre Dame. See everybody, it is a small world after all!

UPDATE: Here are BC All Access's Answers:

1. BC started out the season next to last in the ACC so it would appear that expectations were not high. Outside of the signature wins against UNC and Duke what were two high points in BC's season?

The two high points were beating Virginia Tech and Florida State. Both were crucial conference wins, but more importantly they showed the resiliency of the team. We beat Virginia Tech on a last second tip-in after they had just come back to take the lead. Florida State was in a position to re-take the lead before Tyrese Rice drained a three-pointer to seal up the win.

2. BC uses the Flex-Motion Offense, something the Pac-10 doesn't see very much. I see it as balanced attack meant to take advantage of each players strength's on the floor... what are some of the weaknesses in this style of offense?

The flex is very slow developing and methodical. It is by no means an exciting or high flying offense to watch. It can take nearly the entire shot clock to develop sometimes. This makes it difficult to run these sets if BC is down late in the game.

3. Neither team can be characterized as dominating on offense though there is no question that Tyrese Rice is the main guy in BC's offense and Josh Southern is no slouch either but you can't win it with just 2 guys...Who has to step up, who needs a big game against a pretty good USC defense?

Rakim Sanders, the sophomore guard, has emerged as a go-to player while Rice has struggled shooting recently. BC has gone to him to win games lately as teams focus on Rice. Sanders is physical and very strong and he plays inside as well. Joe Trapani is also a guy who can step up. The sophomore transfered from Vermont and is a versatile scorer. He uses his 6'8 frame to shoot over defenders. Freshman guard Reggie Jackson also also contributed off the bench. He plays best in the big games (17 points vs UNC, 15 points vs Duke)

4. BC has had its share of ups and downs this season...a 10-game winning streak that culminated with a victory at North Carolina when the Tar Heels were ranked No. 1, but then BC promptly lost four in a row starting with a home game against Harvard. Describe for us your general opinions of the team good or bad.

This team is very young, with Rice being the only senior. They have been inconsistent at times, mainly because they play to the level of their opponent, which can be frustrating to watch. They have proven they can beat anybody, but they also seem to not come prepared against weaker opponents. Overall, I think the team has improved greatly and they have definitely surprised most BC fans. They have to ability to win but the key for these young guys is to stay focused.

5. How do you think your players match up with USC and what aspects of BC's game do you think gives you an advantage over the Trojans?

I think this is a pretty even match up. USC certainly has the advantage in the post with Taj Gibson, but I would say BC has a slightly better backcourt at this time. If BC has any advantages its their offense. As you mentioned before, the flex is very uncommon to the Pac-10 and it takes some getting used to, both for team and for USC fans who have not seen it before. BC will try to control the tempo and play at a slow pace. If USC can get out and run then they will certainly have the advantage, but if the game is played slow, BC will have the upper hand.

My apologies to BCAA, I did not have access to a computer all day, so these answers got up kind of late. CC's Answers after the jump.

1) What had been the key to USC's defensive success this season?

In the past two seasons USC has finished ranked in 25 in Ken Pomeroy's defensive efficiency stat, and the Trojans are currently ranked 20th. A small part of it is obviously the players as the team has great size and athleticism. In particular, Daniel Hackett is an incredibly aggressive on the ball defender, and his large size (6'5"-6'6") is often disruptive for smaller guards. Taj Gibson is also one of the nation's premiere shot blockers, and his excellent timing and length lead to a lot of altered shots. But most of the credit has to go to Tim Floyd. He gets the players to play hard on both sides of the ball, and although SC plays man most of the time, he has shown that he is willing to take risks on the defensive end, just look at last years near infamous use of the triangle and two to hold Memphis to their lowest regulation scoring output of the season or last weeks spontaneous use of the full court press to turn the tide against Arizona State in the Pac 10 championship game.

2) What has been the difference between the team's poor February and red hot March?

Would it be an anticlimax if I said a lot of it was due to random chance? SC came out on the wrong end of a few close games, and other times they just had second half breakdowns against teams they had an excellent chance to beat. A small factor though was the fact that the team is mostly healthy now and that many of the players, Demar Derozan in particular, are playing at the top of their games. It is especially nice to see Dwight Lewis once again willing to take, and even occassionally making, a couple of crucial shots. I swear, he was playing some psychological mind torture games in his head the whole second half of conference play.

3) Demar Derozan has really played up to his potential of late, how can BC stop him?

The best way to stop Demar Derozan is to make it difficult to move around the court. Although he showed bits of his ballhandling ability against Cal, he mostly plays off the ball and looks for cutting lanes, put back opportunities, and long open jumpers. Defenders tend to relax a little bit in the areas near the perimeters as many consider this a bit of a no man's land, but this is where Derozan makes his money. The down side is that if BC is using a player to harass him around the entire court then they need to assign a help defender on the interior in case Derozan makes it by the first man. All in all though, the above is the best way to stop him, keep up the pressure and the ball might not even get into his hands.

4) Prediction for the game?

Like in the other Q&A I have to go with a close SC win. The advanced metrics favor SC, and the teams matchup well (at least size wise) overall. Its going to be a tough game, and the Trojans will need to show up and play the all 40 minutes if they want to win, but everyone plays at full throttle come tournament time. USC by a couple of baskets.