USC forward Kasey Cunningham tries to block the shot of Southern Illinois' Randal Falker in a game last season. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press / November 25, 2007) |
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The USC men's basketball team held its first intrasquad scrimmage of the season Sunday afternoon and afterward this much became clear: The Trojans, who are thin and inexperienced and not expected to do well, are fortunate to have Alex Stepheson.
"The man is a beast," said forward Kasey Cunningham, who was on the losing end of a 36-20 triumph by the Gold team against the Cardinal team at the Galen Center. "He's just a great inside presence."
Stepheson, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound redshirt junior, sat out last season after transferring from North Carolina. He scored a team-high 13 points and added five rebounds for the Gold squad in the 20-minute scrimmage.
The Trojans also are fortunate to have a reasonably healthy Cunningham, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound redshirt junior forward who missed all or most of the last three seasons because of recurring knee injuries.
Cunningham had six points -- all in the second half -- and three rebounds in 14 minutes.
"I'm still a little tentative, I'm kind of like adapting to my body all over again and it's kind of a weird feeling," he said.
The Gold squad was comprised of several probable starters: Stepheson at center, Nikola Vucevic at forward, and Marcus Johnson, Dwight Lewis and Mike Gerrity at guards.
Gerrity, a transfer from Charlotte who will not be eligible until the second semester, played the point position. Donte Smith, who probably will be the starting point guard at the beginning of the season, sat out because of a sprained ankle.
The Gold squad went up against a starting Cardinal lineup comprised of Cunningham, Leonard Washington and Evan Smith at forward, and Marcus Simmons and walk-on Korri Ennis at guard.
The Gold squad scored the first 11 points and cruised to a 20-5 halftime lead while shooting 50% and holding the Cardinal squad to 18.2%. It might have been worse, but Lewis, who was the Trojans' leading scorer last season, was one-for-four shooting in the first half, and two for nine overall.
Gerrity switched squads in the second half and the Cardinal team improved as Cunningham got to the free-throw line eight times, making six.
Washington, whose play also picked up in the second half, finished with six points and five rebounds. Unfortunately for the Trojans, Washington is academically ineligible and will not be available until the second semester.
Asked for his assessment of the scrimmage, new Trojans Coach Kevin O'Neill said there were negatives but also positives.
"I didn't think we executed very well defensively in terms of coverages," he said. "But I thought our guys rebounded the ball very well, both teams did a good job getting to the boards.
"We got the ball inside a lot, which is a positive, and then we just had some turnovers that were just foolish plays."
USC opens the season Nov. 17 with a home game against UC Riverside.
pete.thomas@latimes.com
"The man is a beast," said forward Kasey Cunningham, who was on the losing end of a 36-20 triumph by the Gold team against the Cardinal team at the Galen Center. "He's just a great inside presence."
Stepheson, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound redshirt junior, sat out last season after transferring from North Carolina. He scored a team-high 13 points and added five rebounds for the Gold squad in the 20-minute scrimmage.
The Trojans also are fortunate to have a reasonably healthy Cunningham, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound redshirt junior forward who missed all or most of the last three seasons because of recurring knee injuries.
Cunningham had six points -- all in the second half -- and three rebounds in 14 minutes.
"I'm still a little tentative, I'm kind of like adapting to my body all over again and it's kind of a weird feeling," he said.
The Gold squad was comprised of several probable starters: Stepheson at center, Nikola Vucevic at forward, and Marcus Johnson, Dwight Lewis and Mike Gerrity at guards.
Gerrity, a transfer from Charlotte who will not be eligible until the second semester, played the point position. Donte Smith, who probably will be the starting point guard at the beginning of the season, sat out because of a sprained ankle.
The Gold squad went up against a starting Cardinal lineup comprised of Cunningham, Leonard Washington and Evan Smith at forward, and Marcus Simmons and walk-on Korri Ennis at guard.
The Gold squad scored the first 11 points and cruised to a 20-5 halftime lead while shooting 50% and holding the Cardinal squad to 18.2%. It might have been worse, but Lewis, who was the Trojans' leading scorer last season, was one-for-four shooting in the first half, and two for nine overall.
Gerrity switched squads in the second half and the Cardinal team improved as Cunningham got to the free-throw line eight times, making six.
Washington, whose play also picked up in the second half, finished with six points and five rebounds. Unfortunately for the Trojans, Washington is academically ineligible and will not be available until the second semester.
Asked for his assessment of the scrimmage, new Trojans Coach Kevin O'Neill said there were negatives but also positives.
"I didn't think we executed very well defensively in terms of coverages," he said. "But I thought our guys rebounded the ball very well, both teams did a good job getting to the boards.
"We got the ball inside a lot, which is a positive, and then we just had some turnovers that were just foolish plays."
USC opens the season Nov. 17 with a home game against UC Riverside.
pete.thomas@latimes.com
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