Trojans Will Need Something in Reserve

Now the difficult part begins.

Saturday’s victory over second-ranked Arizona will keep the Trojans floating until they land in Eugene, Ore., Wednesday night.

The victory also served notice to the rest of the Pacific 10 Conference that the Trojans can play at a high level despite the loss of Sam Clancy and Jarvis Turner.

Now that Trojans lead the conference, they become the team that is hunted. Thirteen conference games remain, and Oregon, Oregon State, California and Stanford have yet to take their shots.

It stands to reason that, with the Pac-10 ranked behind only the Big Ten in strength, 10 conference victories will warrant an NCAA bid. USC (12-5, 5-0 in the Pac-10) is halfway there.

But starters David Bluthenthal, Brandon Granville, Brian Scalabrine and Jeff Trepagnier have been carrying a load that got heavier when Clancy went down. They are going to have to get more scoring from the bench then they got Saturday. Of the four reserves used by Coach Henry Bibby against Arizona, only Nate Hair and Malachi Thurston got shots, and Hair was the only one who scored (three points).

“We have confidence in the guys on the bench,” Bluthenthal said. “They’re young players to Pac-10 and Division I basketball, but you’ve got to start somewhere. For some of these guys, their time is now.”

Said Scalabrine: “These other guys are gonna have to work. They may be tired from the game, but they’re gonna play now. They have to get on the track and run, go to the gym and work out. Some of them are out of [game] shape.”

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Add Scalabrine: As reporters crowded around his locker after Saturday’s game, the 6-foot-9 junior forward-center could not resist a final tweak at the media for dismissing the Trojan chances against the Wildcats.

“We won’t have Sam or Jarvis, we’re on the road and there’s no way we’re gonna win,” Scalabrine said. “Be sure all you guys write us off again.”