Bibby Has Found a Leader in Hutchinson

Not known for heaping on praise, USC Coach Henry Bibby reversed field Tuesday and was singing hosannas in explaining his choice of backup point guard Robert Hutchinson as team captain of the No. 18 Trojans, who play at No. 15 Arizona on Thursday.

“He’s the anchor of our ship,” Bibby said of Hutchinson. “He’s a guy that does everything that we ask of him at any time. He’s the only player that I’ve ever had that’s never complained one time.

“We were running [Monday] and he might be the worst runner we have on the team but he’s ... right there at the front, giving his all.”

Hutchinson, a junior from Albany, Ga., was honored.

“It caught me off guard,” he said. “[Bibby] said I’d been working pretty hard, he’s impressed by the way I handle myself in situations and stuff like that.”

Bibby has been critical of the seniors all season for a perceived lack of leadership and said he could see how his anointing of Hutchinson could be perceived as slighting them.

“I don’t care,” Bibby said. “I’m not concerned about a slug to the seniors. If you step up and you make it happen, you’re deserving of becoming captain. Hutch doesn’t miss anything, he’s always going to class, he’s always at the extra workout. [He’s] not as vocal as I would like him to be, but I think he does all the things by example.”

Paul Gutierrez