USC PREVIEW : Raveling Tries to Teach Trojans to Be Winners

When George Raveling was coaching at Iowa, a sign over his door identified him as basketball coach and educator.

He is earnestly teaching in his new job as USC’s basketball coach. So much so, in fact, that Basketball 1-A could almost be regarded as a course at the university.

“I compare him to one of my professors,” center Rod Keller said. “You have a midterm every day. We all have notebooks and are expected to write down plays, or any necessary information.

“I personally like that system because if I have any trouble with a particular offensive play, I can go home while I’m studying and just go over the plays. If he diagrams a play and we don’t write it down, then we’re not fulfilling our obligation.”

At Raveling’s prodding, the Trojans may be the most knowledgeable team in the Pacific 10 this season. They certainly aren’t considered among the elite teams, though, with only two returning starters, Keller and forward Derrick Dowell, and several newcomers.

Keller said that a team is a reflection of the coach. If so, the Trojans should all be wearing horn-rimmed glasses, indicative of their new bookworm image, and occasionally getting off one-liners.

That’s right. The famous Raveling humor--the man has quotes for every situation--is almost bound to rub off on the team.

Keller, a senior, said that Raveling, like any perceptive professor, breaks up the monotony of practice with his humor.

“It relaxes your mind and gets you laughing a little bit,” he said. “I think he’s a 24-hour-a-day comedian.”

But don’t expect the Trojans to cavort on the court like the Harlem Globetrotters. Raveling, a winning coach at Washington State and Iowa, takes his job seriously.

“Coach is a very enthusiastic type of guy, and he’s really into what he does,” Keller said. “He works hard to be the best he can be and he wants his players to do the same thing. At times, it’s a little hard, but that’s to be expected. You won’t ever realize your true potential unless people make great demands on you and you make great demands of yourself.

“He’s a coach, a teacher and like a brother, too.”

Raveling’s work ethic doesn’t put an undue burden on Keller, a player who was considered marginal as a freshman and sophomore, but one who became a starter last season through sheer determination.

A defensive center at 6 feet 9 inches, Keller wasn’t required to contribute much offense last season under Coach Stan Morrison. He didn’t, averaging only 4.5 points a game.

“The team didn’t need for me to score a lot of points last year,” Keller said. “This year might be different.”

Yes, it might. Raveling, in assessing his team, says he is looking for someone, anyone, who can score.

“This is a team in search of itself--its capabilities, personality, leadership--and points,” Raveling said. “We have more question marks right now than a Harvard entrance exam.”

That’s one good reason why the Trojans, who finished last in the Pac-10 last season and had an overall 11-17 record, are regarded as an also-ran again in 1986-87.

In preseason polls, conference coaches picked the Trojans to finish fifth and the media relegated them to seventh place.

Morrison’s last team was one in apparent turmoil, with freshman Tom Lewis bickering with Dowell, who was suspended late in the season after a falling out with his coach during a game against California.

Lewis, the team’s leading scorer last season, subsequently transferred to Pepperdine. Two other freshmen, Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers, who were upset when Morrison was relieved of his command, moved on to Loyola Marymount.

Keller doesn’t want to talk about the events of last season, saying cautiously, “The past is the past. I’m not going to reflect on what happened. It’s a fresh start and that’s the way I’m dealing with it. Everyone is here because they want to be. It’s one happy family.”

The “family” has already lost an exhibition game to an experienced, Polish national team, but Raveling wasn’t concerned.

“We’ve made meaningful progress in practice,” he said. “I just think we’re a week and a half behind everyone else because there is so much teaching going on. Beating Poland didn’t mean we have a good team, or by losing do we have a bad one.”

But the team has obvious shortcomings.

Said Raveling: “We don’t have much experience and depth and, as I said, I don’t know where our points will come from. But I think we’ll be all right defensively and on the boards.”

Raveling said he isn’t disappointed, though, adding, “They’ve been very responsive. I’ve enjoyed coaching them. They’re good kids, work hard and are intelligent. I don’t have any misgivings about (taking the job).

“Obviously, I’d like to have a guy who could score 30 a game, or have a 7-foot center, who could dominate, or a 6-6 guy who can make a 360-degree dunk. Anyone would like those guys. But you play the hand that they deal you.”

Let’s peek at Raveling’s hand, and listen to his comments:

Guards--Dave Wiltz, a junior transfer from Delgado Community College in New Orleans; sophomore Rich Grande and juniors Brad Winslow and Ivan Harris. “Wiltz is the best athlete on the team. He’s a good leader and no one works harder than he does. He has excellent defensive potential. He’s outstanding at advancing the ball up the floor on the fast break. He’s probably a year away from being an impact player in the conference.

“Grande, our off-guard, is a very intelligent player and a good shooter. I think he’ll have a very stabilizing influence on the team.

“Winslow is a very good athlete, a multidimensional player and a good outside shooter. He’ll probably end up playing two or three positions for us. His only problem is that he doesn’t always exhibit good patience.

“Harris has excellent defensive potential and good leadership qualities. He has shot well in practice. His biggest problem is making better decisions with the ball.”

Centers--senior Rod Keller, 6-11 senior Ivan Verberckt and 7-2 sophomore Carl Pollard, a transfer from BYU.

“Keller’s leadership is by example. He’s an excellent shot blocker and very visible by his performance. He’s a good defensive player and his offense is coming around.

“I don’t think it would be fair to Pollard to thrust him in and expect him to carry the team. He’s not ready to accept that responsibility yet. But I have seen an immense improvement in him. If we can get 10 solid minutes a game out of him this season, I’ll be happy.

“Verberckt has shown some ability to score inside. But the thing that concerns me is his consistency. He has also missed a lot of practice time with injuries.”

Forwards--6-6 senior Derrick Dowell, 6-9 Bob Erbst and 6-9 Chris Munk, both freshmen.

“Obviously, we’re going to be highly dependent on Dowell for rebounding and scoring if we’re going to have a chance to compete successfully in the conference. I think he’s a better outside shooter than people give him credit for being.

“Erbst has been the recipient of good coaching in high school (Anaheim Katella). I think he understands the game. I get concerned at times about his concentration level and I think he has to become a more potent force on the backboards.

“Munk is destined to become a star in this league. It’s just a matter of time. He continues to get better and better every day. Somewhere along the line, he’ll be a starter. He’s quick, strong, can jump and is tough around the basket.”

Trojan Notes USC will open the season Friday on the road against New Orleans before playing at Richmond Dec. 2 and against Murray State Dec. 5 in the Wendy’s tournament at Bowling Green, Ky. “My goal right now is to have the team operating as a cohesive unit for our conference opener at Washington State Dec. 20,” Coach George Raveling said, adding that he doesn’t have a set starting lineup. . . . USC will play San Jose State Dec. 9 in the home opener at the Sports Arena.

USC FACTS & FIGURES

1986-87 ROSTER

Lettermen Returning (5)

No Player Po Hgt Wgt Yr FG% FT% Ast Reb Pts 42 Derrick Dowell F 6-6 210 Sr .519 .698 1.8 7.8 15.5 22 Rich Grande G 6-2 170 So .318 .593 1.3 0.6 2.1 3 Rod Keller C 6-9 205 Sr .531 .667 0.3 4.2 4.8 55 Ivan Verberckt C 6-11 220 Sr .500 .643 0.0 1.9 2.9 5 Brad Winslow G-F 6-6 190 Jr .391 .364 0.8 0.9 2.2

No Hometown (High School) 42 Evansville, Ind. (Bosse) 22 Glendale (Glendale) 3 Carson (St. Bernard) 55 Belguim (Rio Mesa, Oxnard) 5 Santa Monica (Santa Monica)

Other Players Returning (4)

No Player Po Hgt Wgt Yr 1985-86 Status 54 Mike Canada F 6-9 210 Fr Freshman redshirt 10 Aaron Dyer G 6-5 185 Jr Sat out season with injury 33 Ruben Goodsell G 6-3 185 Sr Injury redshirt 4 Ivan Harris G 6-1 185 Jr Injury redshirt

No Hometown (High School) 54 Omaha, Neb. (Millard North) 10 Ventura (Ventura) 33 Yorba Linda (El Dorado) 4 Pasadena (Pasadena)

Newcomers (6)

No Player Po Hgt Wgt Yr 44 Bob Erbst F 6-9 205 Fr 30 Matt Miller C F 6-5 190 Fr 45 Chris Munk F 6-9 235 Fr 35 Todd Nigro G 6-0 165 Fr 50 Carl Pollard C 7-2 250 So 21 Dave Wiltz G 6-2 180 Jr

No Hometown (High School); Previous School 44 Anaheim (Katella) 30 St. Helena (St. Helena) 45 San Francisco (Riordan) 35 Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman) 50 Orem, Utah (Bingham); Transfer from BYU 21 Avondale, La. (Higgins); Transfer from Delgado CC (New Orleans)

1986-87 SCHEDULE

All Times PST

Date Opponent Site Time Nov. 28 New Orleans New Orleans 5:30 Dec. 2 Richmond Richmond, Va. 4:30 Dec 5-6 Tournament Bowling Green, Ky. TBA Dec. 9 San Jose St. Sports Arena 8:00 Dec. 11 Niagara Sports Arena 6:00 Dec. 13 W. Washington Sports Arena 3:00 Dec. 20 Washington St. Pullman 3:00 Dec. 23 Washington Seattle 7:30 Dec. 27 Tennessee Knoxville 12:30 Jan. 2 California Loyola Marymount 7:30 Jan. 5 Stanford Sports Arena 7:30 Jan. 8 Arizona Tucson 6:30 Jan. 10 Arizona St. Tempe 3:00 Jan. 15 Oregon St. Sports Arena 8:00 Jan. 17 Oregon Sports Arena 5:30 Jan. 24 Tulsa Sports Arena TBA Jan. 29 Washington St. Sports Arena 7:30 Jan. 31 Washington Sports Arena 2:00 Feb. 5 California Berkeley 7:30 Feb. 8 Stanford Palo Alto 3:00 Feb. 12 Arizona St. Sports Arena 8:00 Feb. 14 UCLA Sports Arena Noon Feb. 17 Arizona Sports Arena 8:00 Feb. 19 Oregon Eugene 7:30 Feb. 21 Oregon St. Corvallis 3:00 Feb. 26 UCLA Pauley Pavilion 8:00 Mar 5-8 Pac-10 Tourney Pauley Pavilion TBA

1985-86 RESULTS

Result H/A Record USC 81, Baptist 71 H W, 1-0 Virginia Tech 90, USC 81 H L, 1-1 Syracuse 102, USC 68 A L, 1-2 Penn 63, USC 54 A L, 1-3 USC 84, Texas 62 H W, 2-3 USC 66, Colorado St. A W, 3-3 Wyoming 89, USC 79 A L, 3-4 USC 89, Loyola (Md.) 79 H W, 4-4 Oregon St. 68, USC 64 H L, 4-5 USC 59, Creighton 54 H W, 5-5 USC 75, Oregon 60 H W, 6-5 Washington St. 65, USC 58 A L, 6-6 Washington 91, USC 75 A L, 6-7 USC 63, Arizona 62 H W, 7-7 USC 81, Arizona St. 72 H W, 8-7 California 62, USC 61 A L, 8-8 USC 88, Arkansas 74 A W, 9-8 UCLA 66, USC 56 A L, 9-9 Washington St. 77, USC 75 (OT) H L, 9-10 Washington 70, USC 64 H L, 9-11 Arizona State 75, USC 67 A L, 9-12 Arizona 71, USC 62 A L, 9-13 Stanford 61, USC 59 H L, 9-14 USC 79, UCLA 64 H W, 10-14 California 65, USC 63 H L, 10-15 Stanford 85, USC 64 A L, 10-16 Oregon 76, USC 63 A L, 10-17 USC 66, Oregon St. 60 A W, 11-17

Home: 8-6

Away: 3-11

Pac-10: 5-13