Charissis Has High Olympic Hopes, Low Stats

Kostas Charissis has a big fat Greek problem.

The senior center from Athens wants what’s best for USC and not to fret about a lack of playing time with the Trojans. But with a goal of playing for his home country in next summer’s Olympics in Greece, he realizes his chances of doing so may be dwindling, with his minutes spent riding the USC bench.

“All they know of me is from my stats,” Charissis said of his country’s selection committee. “But I don’t have many stats.”

He has not gotten off the Trojan bench the last two games and has made one appearance in the last six games.

Still, the 6-foot-11, 260-pounder is averaging career highs in points (3.3), rebounds (4.3) and minutes (13.1) in 12 games.

Charissis trained with the Greek national team last summer, though, and believes he made enough of an impression that he won’t be starting from scratch.

“It’s just a matter of showing them what I can do again in the summer,” he said.

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With USC refusing to fold and by pulling out hard-fought victories over Oregon and UCLA in its last two games, junior guard Desmon Farmer believes that the rebuilding Trojans have turned the corner.

“You’ve got to learn how to lose before you learn how to win,” Farmer said. “We’re a young team so you can’t expect too much. I think the guys are all tired of losing and other guys are stepping up.”

Among those stepping up: Farmer, who averaged 26.5 points and seven rebounds in the Trojans’ third sweep of UCLA since 1942 (1985, 1992 and 2003).

Sophomore forward Nick Curtis, still hobbled by a sore right heel, did not practice Friday and is again considered questionable for Sunday’s nonconference game at Nevada Las Vegas.

-- Paul Gutierrez