USC’s Hollans Seeking Focus

Aisha Hollans is a great example of what has been excellent and maddening about USC women’s basketball this season.

The 5-foot-9 sophomore from Berkeley, who with her USC teammates is preparing to face UCLA today at the Sports Arena, has overcome the back problems of her freshman season to lead the Trojans in scoring at 17.2 points a game, including a career-high 29 against then-No. 12 Florida.

She is USC’s second-leading rebounder behind Ebony Hoffman, and her 6.4 rebound average is tops among Pacific 10 Conference guards.

But like other Trojans, Hollans--who admits to having problems “maintaining focus” off the court--can have moments of immaturity that drive the coaches crazy.

Her biggest mistake was missing a morning practice the week of the Jan. 17 Arizona game. USC was already shorthanded--Hoffman was suspended one game for fighting and Tiffany Elmore was injured.

Still, Coach Chris Gobrecht sat Hollans for the game, which USC lost.

“I thought at one point she might let me play, but she stuck to her guns,” Hollans said of Gobrecht. “I respected her for that. I was irresponsible; it was my fault I didn’t play in that game. I should have had more than one alarm clock set, or someone call me.”

Hollans also said she fell behind in a class in the fall and worried about her eligibility.

“I would tell myself I’d make up what I missed, but I procrastinated a lot last year,” Hollans said. “This semester I have prioritized things a lot more.”

Said Gobrecht: “Aisha is one of the most gifted players I’ve had the privilege of coaching. But when you are a great player, you have a responsibility to impact every single moment on the court to the best of your ability. She can be great at anything she chooses to value--rebounding, passing, defense. Helping her to develop that value base is what we’re working on.”

Hollans said that she welcomes Gobrecht’s attention.

“If I didn’t [care] she wouldn’t push me the way she does,” Hollans said. “But she knows I can become a great player, so she’s going to push me to my edge--and probably over it.”

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Mike Terry

TODAY

UCLA at USC, 4 p.m.

Site--Sports Arena.

Radio--KACD (850), KXTA (1150), KEWS (1350), KMPC (1540).

Records--UCLA 6-15, 3-10; USC 12-10, 8-5.

Update--The Trojans seek their first sweep against the Bruins since the 1996-97 season. UCLA has not won at the Sports Arena since 1990. USC won the first meeting at Pauley Pavilion, 79-65.

Mike Terry

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TOP 25

No. 20 Old Dominion 69, George Mason 31--Hamchetou Maiga, a 6-foot-1 senior guard from Mali, scored 13 of her 17 points in the first half to lead the Monarchs to a Colonial Athletic Assn. victory at Norfolk on Friday.

Old Dominion (16-5, 12-0) led 36-12 at halftime despite being outrebounded, 24-18. George Mason (11-12, 5-7 made only five of 29 field goal attempts--and committed 19 of its 29 turnovers--in the first half.