Clancy May Get Starting Call

USC Coach Henry Bibby is thinking of putting Sam Clancy into the starting lineup for today’s game against California.

Clancy, who sat out 11 games because of a broken right foot, returned to action Thursday against Stanford and played 18 minutes, scoring four points.

Bibby had said he wanted to bring Clancy back slowly.

“But I was encouraged by what I saw and what he did,” Bibby said. “He played in the heat of the battle, and he wanted to play. That’s what I was looking for. He wanted to be on the floor and contribute.

“He was one of our best players out there--if we had any best players, so to speak.”

Clancy reported no ill effects from playing. “My foot’s doing real good,” he said Friday. “I can’t feel any pain.”

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Brian Scalabrine, who sat out the second half of the 111-68 loss to Stanford because of a right hip injury, was limping Friday but said he would be ready for the Cal game.

He didn’t practice Friday and is treating the injury with ice packs and anti-inflammatory medication.

Scalabrine said he injured the hip in the first half while the Trojans were on defense.

“I was going one direction, I moved in another direction to try and trap the ball and it just popped,” he said. “I have limited movement. It’s not really painful, but it’s like your mind won’t let you move because it knows it will hurt.”

Bibby said the game being out of hand was actually a benefit to Scalabrine.

“I don’t know if we could have won with Brian,” Bibby said. “And if he played the second half, he would be very sore. It was an easy decision. Both he and the trainer said he would be ready to play.”

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Jarvis Turner said he had “a brain cramp” when he reached from his sideline chair and grabbed Casey Jacobsen’s shorts as the Stanford guard was about to make a move to the basket.

“I was just frustrated watching,” said Turner, sidelined because of a broken left foot. “He just kept hitting everything he shot. I just wanted to slow him down.”

Turner, who received a technical for the move, apologized to Jacobsen after the game.

TONIGHT

at California, 5, Fox Sports Net 2

* Site--Haas Pavilion, Berkeley.

* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Records--USC 14-13, 7-8; Cal 15-12, 6-9.

* Update--The Trojans still believe they can make the NCAA tournament, despite having lost eight of their last 10. “If we can win our last three, and Arizona State drops, which they could, we could be in sole possession of fourth place,” Bibby said. “And I really think that with fourth place in the Pac-10 you’ve got a shot.” But USC hasn’t had much luck against California. The Trojans have won only seven road conference games against the Bears, the last one in 1992. They have also lost their last five games against Cal, including a 66-62 decision at the Sports Arena last month.