USC Puts Up Fight but Loses to Stanford, 66-61

Stanford forward Adam Keefe may be a freshman, but he plays like a senior.

Keefe came off the bench to score 17 points as the No. 12-ranked Cardinal defeated USC, 66-61, Friday night in a Pacific 10 Conference tournament quarterfinal game at the Forum.

“Keefe is one of the top 10 freshmen in America,” USC Coach George Raveling said. “He hasn’t a chance to show what he can do because Stanford has a senior team. But he came into one of their biggest games of the season and delivered for them.”

With starting forward Howard Wright in foul trouble, Keefe rescued Stanford, making six of seven shots from the floor. He also sank five of nine free throws and had five rebounds.

“He (Keefe) doesn’t really play like a freshman and he doesn’t really act like a freshman,” Stanford guard Todd Lichti said. “He’s going to be a great player for Stanford. He has a great nose for the ball. He’s a good rebounder and shoots the ball well. He’s really given us a lift.”

Wright said Keefe, a former standout for Woodbridge High School in Irvine, was the key to the victory.

“Adam won the game for us tonight plain and simple,” Wright said. “He’s not going to tell you that because he’s modest.”

Said Keefe: “I didn’t do anything different tonight. But maybe I shot a little bit more and things went right for me.”

Stanford (25-5) has won 10 straight games, its longest winning streak in 10 years. The Cardinal will play UCLA in a semifinal game today at 3 p.m.

USC finished with a 10-22 record, but the Trojans took Stanford down to the wire.

Trailing, 52-50, Rich Grande and Anthony Pendleton sank consecutive three-point shots to give the Trojans a 56-52 lead with five minutes left.

Wright made a layup and added a free throw to bring Stanford within a point before Ronnie Coleman made a layup to give USC a 58-55 lead.

Stanford guard Terry Taylor took charge, hitting a three-pointer and setting up Wright for a layup.

Keefe then finished off the Trojans with a jumper.

Stanford shut down USC’s offense by switching from a zone to a man-to-man defense. The Trojans made just one basket in the final three minutes and were outscored 11-3.

“A key was changing defenses,” Stanford Coach Mike Montgomery said. “We went to a man defense because we wanted to be more aggressive.”

It worked.

Although the Trojans finished the season by losing 22 of 32 games, Raveling said he has never been been prouder of a team than he is of the 1988-89 Trojans.

“I know one thing,” Raveling said. “Years from now when I look back, this will be the team I’ll respect and admire the most. I’ve had some that have been more talented than this team, but there hasn’t been a team I respect any more than this one because this team’s had a tough life.

“This team endured a heavy burden. They were constantly told they were less than they were. But they never accepted that. I just wish that once during the season someone gave them a little respect.”

USC won Stanford’s respect.

“I’d like to give credit to George Raveling and his basketball team,” Montgomery said. “They had a tough season, but in the end they were still playing hard and competing.”

Pendleton led USC with 25 points.

Lichti made a fallaway 22-foot jumper at the end of the first half to give Stanford a 35-28 lead at intermission.

Keefe threw a length-of-the court pass to Lichti, who beat the buzzer with a spectacular shot over Calvin Banks.

Keefe had 11 points off the bench in the first half, making all four shots he took.