Easy Opener Boomerangs on Trojans

USC Coach Stan Morrison called them “youthful errors,” which could be expected when playing four freshman. The only problem Tuesday night for the Trojans was that those mistakes were made by more than the people playing their first college basketball games.

“We went blank out there,” Morrison said. “I mean, there were some guys who didn’t know if they were at the Forum or the Palestra or Madison Square Garden.”

The Trojans indeed were at the Sports Arena, at least in body. Mind is another question all together, Morrison said, as they shot 37% from the field, often missing easy shots, and committed 16 turnovers in dropping a 63-59 decision to the Australian National team before a crowd of 3,466.

“I’ve had other teams that were nervous, but I don’t remember many that were this nervous,” he said.

The Trojans used all four of their freshman early on--Tom Lewis and Rich Grande, the Southern Section 5-A and 4-A Players of the Year last season, and Hank Gathers and Greg Kimble--and were in trouble from the start. They trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half and went into the intermission behind, 35-25.

They were shooting 32% from the field at that time, with Lewis going 1 for 8 with four turnovers.

Hitting from the free-throw line was another problem (11 of 24 for the game), but it also helped USC come back in the second half.

Trailing, 45-40, Derrick Dowell, who finished with 27 points, scored from inside and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but Rod Keller got the rebound, put the ball in and was also fouled. He missed his free throw, but Dowell turned the trick again, made his shot from the line and the Trojans had an 8-0 run in 56 seconds that gave them a 48-45 lead.

But that didn’t hold as the Australians came back to tie it with 2:53 remaining on a tip-in by Andrew Gaze. He hit two free throws 45 seconds later to give the Boomers a lead they would never relinquish.

USC opens its season Friday night with a game against Baptist College at the Sports Arena, while Australians play UCLA tonight at Pauley Pavilion.