USC Begins Practice With Familiar Theme: Starting Over

It is no secret that USC’s basketball program has lacked stability the last three seasons, but first-year Coach Henry Bibby is hoping to change that when the Trojans begin practice today.

“You can’t be overly excited, but we are ready to get things started,” said Bibby, who stepped in as interim coach last season after the firing of Charlie Parker, then was given the job last March. “We’re going to start from the ground level and try to build up with fundamentals. We’re going to take each day as a building and learning experience and try to implement the different things we want to remain with the team for the rest of the season.”

For seniors Stais Boseman, Jaha Wilson and David Crouse, the last three seasons have been anything but smooth. Starting with the traffic accident that sidelined then-coach George Raveling at the start of the 1994-95 season, the three seniors will playing for their third coach in three years.

And for the second consecutive year, they will begin a season trying to end a long losing streak from the previous season. In 1995, USC lost its last 14 games under Parker. Last season, the Trojans lost their final 10 to finish 11-19 overall and 4-14 in the Pacific 10 Conference.

To help turn the program around, Bibby will have 10 scholarship players who did not play for the Trojans last season.

“We have a great group of new guys who are competitive and want to be here at the university,” said Bibby, who has 14 years of college and pro coaching experience. “They worked really hard in pre-conditioning to be the best team they can be. They’ve really pushed themselves.”

Gone from last season are Brandon Martin, Tremayne Anchrum and Ty Reuter, who graduated; Cameron Murray and Maurice Strong, who transferred, and Avondre Jones and Damion Dawson, who are academically ineligible.

Newcomers are Rodrick Rhodes, a 6-foot-6 senior who sat out last season after transferring from Kentucky; Ramy Shoukry, a 6-7 junior from Collin County College in Texas; Larry Ayuso, a 6-2 sophomore from New Mexico Junior College; Ken Sims, a 6-5 junior from New Mexico J.C.; Gary Johnson, a 6-foot junior from Brown Mackie College; Gary Williams, a 6-7 junior from Riverside Community College; Anthony White, a 6-7 junior from Los Angeles City College; Jarvis Turner, a 6-8 freshman from South Bakersfield High; Shannon Swillis, a 6-6 freshman from Fresno Bullard High, and Danny Walker, a 6-1 freshman from Los Angeles Fremont High.

“It’s going to be great because it is open for five players who want to play,” said Boseman, the team’s top returning scorer. “Everything will have to be earned. Nothing will be given to you and that’s the way I feel it should be like every year to get your best team on the court.”

Bibby along with former USC guard Damaine Powell are the only returning coaches from last season. David Miller and Silvey Dominguez are new assistants.

“We have a lot of new players on the team with talent,” Turner said. “But it’s clear who is in charge and that’s Bibby. He’s the real deal and he made that point from Day 1. He’s a player’s coach, yet he’s also a disciplinarian. He wants us to work hard on the court but he’s really tough on academics.”