USC’s Ball of Confusion : Jones Returns, and Bibby Feels More Comfortable, but Things Still Unsettled With Trojans

Missing-in-action center Avondre Jones is back.

Interim Coach Henry Bibby isn’t planning on leaving.

Athletic Director Mike Garrett isn’t talking.

Merely another confusing day in the world of USC basketball.

For an 11-12 team with only seven regular season games remaining, the Trojans have been anything but dull the last three weeks--and Tuesday was no different.

After missing two games after the firing of Coach Charlie Parker last Wednesday, Jones returned to the team after separate meetings with Garrett and Bibby.

Bibby said Jones will not play in this week’s Pacific 10 Conference games against Arizona State and Arizona until he fulfills a series of off-the-court obligations.

Jones, a 6-foot-11 junior, had not contacted the Trojans’ coaching staff since he missed the team’s flight to play at Stanford last Wednesday night after Parker’s firing. Jones returned with his parents and met with Garrett for nearly an hour Tuesday afternoon. He then rejoined the team for dinner and, after a short meeting with Bibby, said that he will be back at practice today.

“After I missed the plane, I decided that I needed time to think things over,” said Jones, who has set a school record this season with 64 blocked shots. “My absence was not because of a protest [for Parker’s firing]. I came back to show that I’m 100% behind Bibby. I feel good and I’m happy to be back.”

Jones did not elaborate on why he didn’t make the trip and Bibby said Jones will have to prove that he wants to play by not missing any classes or study hall the rest of the season.

“If he does that and does what he is supposed to every day, then he will be able to practice with the team,” Bibby said. “As long as he keeps doing what everyone else is doing he will play against UCLA [Feb. 22].”

Jones’ return was only one key development on a day when Bibby took steps to seize direction of a program that had been in turmoil for the last week.

Bibby called a private dinner meeting for USC players and their concerned parents Tuesday night. Garrett opened the meeting by speaking for less than five minutes but left before addressing any questions from the parents.

“Mike told the parents what he was looking for and that was to stay on course academically,” Bibby said. “He was just making sure that everyone knew what was expected from our young student-athletes.”

Garrett had to leave the basketball dinner to attend a USC track and field banquet. But parents of basketball players were not satisfied.

“He speaks for a few minutes and then he’s gone,” one parent said. “There are a lot of questions that need to be answered and we did not get any tonight from him.”

The questions they wanted answered concerned Bibby’s job status, rumors about former Phoenix Sun Coach Paul Westphal returning to head the program and the unexplained firing of Parker.

“The parents didn’t get a chance to speak to the person they wanted to because the person they wanted to had already left,” Trojan guard Cameron Murray said.

“We just want to know what is going on,” one parent said.

One thing apparently growing is Bibby’s confidence in his new surroundings. He handled Tuesday’s meeting like a coach who wasn’t worried about being replaced at season’s end.

“I wasn’t looking for positive feedback,” Bibby said about the meeting. “I just wanted to let people know the direction I was going. There wasn’t any debate. There was no discussion.

“I’m only concerned about the program now. I’m not concerned about when a decision is going to be made on who is going to coach next season. That’s not the issue. Right now, I am the coach and Mike is treating me that way.”

Westphal, reached at his home in Arizona, again refused comment about the USC coaching job.

Trojan guard Stais Boseman said that the team has been impressed with Bibby.

“He developed solid relationships with the players as an assistant coach and so far he has shown us that he can coach and show us things,” Boseman said. “I was surprised that Parker was fired like that in the middle of the season, but since it happened, [Bibby] has let us know who he is and what he wants.”

With seven games left in the season, the Trojans may have a new starting point.

“I don’t think anyone has any problems with Bibby,” Murray said. “He showed us that he just wants to make us better on and off the court.”