‘Just USC’ Takes That J.R. Shot to Heart

The sound of Jaha Wilson’s voice blew through the empty Sports Arena Coliseum corridor like, well, like trash.

“[Bleep] UCLA,” he said. “I hate them. I can’t stand them. It’s personal.”

The sound of teammate Elias Ayuso’s voice smacked from the ceilings.

“UCLA talk, but anybody can talk,” he said. “Come Wednesday night, we’ll see if that talk walks.”

Coach Henry Bibby flapped his jaws with the wonderful wind of sarcasm.

“UCLA has five NBA players in their lineup,” he said, smiling. “Maybe we shouldn’t even be on the floor with them. Maybe they can say what they want to say.”

For those unfamiliar with such things--every last one of us--these are the noises of a big-time college basketball rivalry.

Thanks to J.R. Henderson, this town finally has one.

Henderson plays for UCLA. The above-quoted players and coach are from USC.

The teams play each other Wednesday at Pauley Pavilion for at least a share of first place in the Pacific 10 Conference.

Last weekend in Arizona, Henderson may have decided this cross-town rivalry needed a little spice.

He may have wanted to anger USC into trying too hard and falling behind by 18 points as in their first meeting, a Bruin victory.

Or, who knows, maybe he really does think the Trojans are dogmeat.

Whatever, last weekend in Arizona, he lobbed a shot that exploded into the middle of this way-too-friendly feud.

And he is now my favorite player in the history of the game.

“I just can’t see SC as this top-notch team,” Henderson said. “When I think about SC, it’s just SC, we’re going to beat them like we should. That’s the way we’re approaching it--it’s just SC.

“I don’t plan on losing to SC.”

Henderson was asked what would happen if the Trojans were upset at seeing these words in the paper.

“They can read this, I don’t care,” Henderson said. “Let them read whatever they want to. This is how I feel. They’re better [than in the past]. But I don’t think they’re as good as people are trying to make them out to be.”

We pause here to publicly scold Kris Johnson, who was attempting to quiet Henderson while our hero was being questioned by The Times’ Tim Kawakami.

Uh, aren’t you the same Kris Johnson who attempted to cold-cock the Trojans’ Gary Williams during your first meeting this year?

To anyone who would criticize Henderson for putting a little harmless juice into what ideally should be the West Coast version of Duke-Noth Carolina . . . You got a better idea?

Anyway, USC players read the rip in Sunday’s newspaper, read it again Monday when Bibby posted it on the locker room bulletin board.

“It was a little slap in the face,” Bibby said. “Obviously, they don’t respect us.”

Then, by all accounts, his Trojans spent several hours practicing as if Wednesday’s game would be their last.

“Big game, big, big game,” Ayuso said Monday evening. “It’s all about respect.”

It’s also about something else, something far more important to a USC program which--precisely as Henderson said--is always “just SC.”

Rejoice, Trojans. You are finally good enough to be publicly dissed.

(You don’t see J.R. Henderson ripping Oregon State, do you?)

If Bibby doesn’t do anything else with his patchwork family this year, he has done enough by finally getting the attention of their pretty and popular neighbors.

The first rule of trash talk is that it only occurs before what is assumed to be a fair fight.

Before now, when is the last time anybody ever truly considered this rivalry a fair fight?

Despite nine new players and a rash of early lineup adjustments, Bibby has won enough to convince his players that the gap between Exposition Park and Westwood is no more than one step.

A step they could take in two short hours.

USC responded to Henderson’s rips Monday by vowing to knock out his two front initials.

“Come Wednesday, we’re going to make him eat his words,” Wilson said.

Privately, Bibby may be responding to something entirely different--a lack of words from the Bruins.

Has anybody out there forgotten that Bibby was the starting point guard on UCLA national title teams (1970-72), and that the Bruins went 87-3 during his varsity career?

Bibby wonders if you aren’t the only one.

“I never even received my UCLA alumni news until I stared coaching at USC, not one in 25 years,” Bibby said. “I’ve done a little bit in basketball for them and never gotten the recognition for it.”

He smiled, shrugged.

“A lot of names from my time get talked about over there, but my name never comes up,” he said. “Sure, it hurts you a little bit.”

On Wednesday night, Bibby steps into Pauley Pavilion for the first time as a head coach. He should be cheered for his achievements as a Bruin, but he may be booed.

“Probably,” he said. “That’s OK. I’m with SC now. Everything with me is all about SC.”

Henderson, meanwhile, should also be cheered.

In one more bit of classic trash last week, he correctly predicted that USC would lose in Arizona.

Who knows if his prediction will be correct again?

UCLA has the hot streak and home court and should be favored by a dozen. But USC almost always plays harder than UCLA, and, in game situations, Bibby is worth six or eight points by himself.

Charles O’Bannon could make a jump shot to win it for the Bruins. Stais Boseman could make a steal to win it for the Trojans.

Either way, I’m talking to J.R.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

WEDNESDAY’S GAME

USC VS. UCLA

USC (14-8, 9-4) at UCLA (15-7, 10-3)

7:30 p.m., Fox Sports West 2