Pac-10 Tells Bibby to Lay Off Officials

Henry Bibby can be a man of few words. But the USC coach said a few too many last week to suit Pacific 10 Conference Commissioner Tom Hansen.

Bibby said Monday he had received a letter from Hansen, asking him to refrain from disparaging referees. After Thursday’s game against Pepperdine, Bibby was critical of the way games are being officiated.

Referees nationwide were given a mandate this season to call more fouls in an effort to eliminate rough play, especially around the basket.

“The kids don’t know how to play because the officiating is like nothing I’ve ever seen,” Bibby said last week. “They don’t know if they can be aggressive or if everything is going to be called tightly. The game has been taken away from competing players and given to the officials.”

Monday, Bibby backed away from the issue. But not too far.

“I didn’t say the officials are not good,” he said. “My thing is, the play is completely different. The kids aren’t playing basketball. But [the rough play] is a point of emphasis this year. Each year the emphasis is different.

“All I’m saying is, the enforcement hasn’t been consistent. So how do we play the game? They can let it be physical or not; I just want it the same way every night.”

Pac-10 spokesman Jim Muldoon, without going into detail, described Hansen’s letter as a private reprimand, not a public flogging.

“We have rules against public criticism of referees,” Muldoon said. “There are internal processes where you can voice concerns to either the coordinator of officials or the commissioner.”

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Jeff Trepagnier, who has yet to play this season, had not been cleared by the NCAA as of Monday afternoon, and is not scheduled to make the trip with No. 13 USC to Hawaii for the three-day Yahoo! Sports Invitational.

Trepagnier sat out the first three games because of a stress fracture in his left foot. He has been under suspension by Bibby for the others.

The NCAA has been investigating Trepagnier for a September trip to Las Vegas with high school friend and Fresno State guard Tito Maddox. The trip was reportedly paid for by a friend of Maddox, who has represented a sports agent. Maddox was suspended for eight games by the NCAA. Trepagnier’s punishment, if any, still has not been determined.

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Jarvis Turner’s recovery from last week’s arthroscopic knee surgery has been swift enough that Bibby is optimistic his top reserve forward can return to action when USC plays Northwestern on Dec. 27.

Bibby also said that reserve guard Tyler Murphy has an injured finger, and may not be able to play in Thursday’s first-round game against BYU Hawaii.