Bibby’s Comments May Mean There’s a New City Rivalry

Although still stinging from Thursday’s last-second 78-77 loss to Pepperdine and the way first-year Wave Coach Paul Westphal thrust his clipboard with the winning play drawn on it at the USC bench during a timeout, Trojan Coach Henry Bibby was in a playful mood at his weekly media luncheon Monday afternoon.

Bibby was asked about the likelihood of his name being churned up by the rumor mill now that New York Knick Coach Jeff Van Gundy has resigned.

“I’m not concerned about that,” Bibby said of the Knick job. “Maybe they’ll give it to Westphal, since they’re the city champs and all that. That’s what they said. But I guess they have to ask Santa Barbara about that, if they’re really the city champs or California champs or whatever.

“But that’s not of any interest to me.”

Pepperdine had beaten both USC and UCLA in the past two weeks before getting pummeled at UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, 68-51.

Bibby was also taken aback by the way senior forward Sam Clancy explained missing two free throws that could have clinched the game for the Trojans in the final minute.

“Sam has never been a great free-throw shooter and I don’t know why he said he choked,” Bibby said. “I don’t think he choked. I just think Sam hasn’t been a good free-throw shooter this whole time. His whole career, he’s probably shot less than 60%, or just above it.... That’s not a good free-throw shooter.”

Clancy entered the season a lifetime 61.3% free-throw shooter and was shooting 68.2% from the line this season before the Pepperdine game.

“Sam hasn’t practiced on shooting free throws, his mechanics aren’t good at the free-throw line,” Bibby said. “And he was seven for 13 [against Pepperdine] and that’s the difference in a basketball game.”

Clancy acknowledged that he needs to work on his free throws but also said the USC gym isn’t always open to shoot in.