A Leadership Void? Not So, Says Clancy

USC Coach Henry Bibby has chided his seniors for a seeming lack of fiery leadership, saying that no one has taken the reins of the team. And that has disappointed Bibby.

But power forward Sam Clancy said Wednesday that the lack of a vocal leader, by Bibby’s definition, is not necessarily a bad thing.

“I mean, ever since I’ve been here, Coach has always been harping on the same thing, that we’ve never had a vocal team leader, and we seem to do all right,” Clancy said at the team hotel as the Trojans prepared to take on San Diego.

“I think it’s just a case where he wants the seniors to ... yell at people when they do bad,” he added. “I don’t like to yell at people because I don’t like them to yell at me.

“I wouldn’t like to be yelled at by another player. I try to tell them in a different way other than yelling at them. I’m not saying that [Bibby] wants us to actually yell at them ... but I try to lead by example.”

Many would expect point guard Brandon Granville to fill Bibby’s role of ardent leader.

But Granville, who has been starting since his freshman year, shrugs when asked if the Trojans are lacking the vociferous on-court element Bibby seeks.

“I don’t even think that’s the case,” Granville said. “I mean, that’s something that he’s probably said since I’ve been here so, according to him, we’ve never had a leader. I think he’s always wanted somebody to step up and do a little bit more. I think he’s just trying to light that fire in some of us.”

Bibby is also hoping for a more consistent effort from his team as it plays its final two nonconference games, against San Diego tonight and Loyola Marymount on Saturday.

The Trojans have let big leads shrink in recent games against Pepperdine and Miami of Ohio.

“I don’t know if we coast,” Bibby said. “We practice that way and that’s what we’re trying to get the guys out of. We have the best practices for an hour. Then the next hour it’s like the worst practice you’ve ever seen. That’s kind of the personality we’re developing.”

Bibby said his team needs a complete effort.

“We play the first half and we play well,” he said. “And the second half, it’s like we’re not interested anymore.”

TONIGHT

at San Diego, 7

Site--Jenny Craig Pavilion.

Radio--KMPC (1540).

Records--USC 6-2, San Diego 5-3.

Update--The Toreros are riding a three-game winning streak with victories against San Diego State, Boise State and UC Irvine. San Diego is led by senior shooting guard Andre Laws, who is averaging 22.6 points. Laws had a career-high 36 points in the Toreros’ 98-94 loss to Washington on Dec. 1.