USC Calm Amid Storm

Although the Rainbow Classic championship trophy remained in Hawaii, USC claimed its own prize at the four-day tournament: Confidence.

The Trojans overcame the ongoing off-court distractions of their coaching situation and played well, losing late Thursday night to Hawaii in the title game, 72-68, at the Stan Sheriff Center.

USC went 2-1 in the tournament. Five times in the second half Thursday, the Trojans pulled to within a point of the Rainbows, who had held an 11-point lead with 17:30 remaining.

USC finished poorly after Derrick Craven’s jump shot made the score 62-61 with 1:40 to play, but interim Coach Jim Saia was encouraged overall.

The Trojans (6-4) maintained their focus while a coaching carousel spun around them, having challenged the Rainbows (8-0) on their court.

Just the type of trip Saia had hoped for with one nonconference game remaining before USC opens Pacific 10 Conference play at Oregon on Friday.

“There’s been a lot of controversy and a lot of drama for this basketball team, and we’ve responded pretty well,” Saia said. “Our kids are playing. They want to play. As long as the kids play we’re fine.”

Senior forward Gregg Guenther was the Trojans’ most consistent player. He averaged 13.3 points and nine rebounds, leading USC with 19 points and 11 rebounds against Hawaii.

“Gregg Guenther should have been an all-tournament selection,” Saia said. “He was phenomenal the whole trip.”

Guenther and senior forward Jeff McMillan, who had 13 points and six rebounds, overpowered Hawaii’s inside players, but their poor free-throw shooting contributed to USC’s 51.7% mark for the game -- 15 for 29. Guenther, who had missed only six of 30 free throws before Thursday, was five for 13 in the championship game.

“We just couldn’t make free throws,” Saia said. “And we just couldn’t get a stop when we needed to get one.

“Then when we finally would get one and could take the lead, we just couldn’t finish. We’d turn it over or miss a layup.”

Freshman point guard Gabe Pruitt was selected all-tournament after strong performances in victories over Indiana State and Alabama Birmingham.

Pruitt missed nine of 10 shots and two free throws against the Rainbows. He had five assists and two turnovers.

“We had a freshman guard who went one for 10 ... just too many minutes for him,” Saia said. “That’s probably my fault, I should have subbed him, but we’re going to stick with the kid.

“He’s a great freshman, a great player, and that’s just the way it goes sometimes. But that’s not going to happen too often.”