Craven Is Not About to Call It Quits

Derrick Craven is confused, but he is quick to say that he is not angry.

Interim Coach Jim Saia has the senior point guard playing the unfamiliar role of observer rather than participant with only three guaranteed games remaining in his career

“I really haven’t had a role; I haven’t been playing,” Craven said. “I’ve just got to go with it.... I’ve got to be a man about it.

“I have to take it. If I think about it, I get more frustrated. I can’t sub myself in.”

Craven, who had appeared in all 79 of the Trojans’ previous 79 games, has not played in three of the Trojans’ last four, including Saturday’s victory at California.

With 66 turnovers, compared to 54 assists, he has been supplanted in the starting lineup by freshman Gabe Pruitt, who is making a late run at the Pacific 10 Conference freshman-of-the-year award, and off the bench by junior college transfer Dwayne Shackleford.

“[Saia] hasn’t given me a reason,” Craven said.

But does he owe Craven a reason?

“I think so; four years I’ve been playing the game,” Craven said.

Craven also had issues with a report questioning whether some of the Trojans’ six seniors had already mentally checked out on the season.

“I want the fans and the people who think the seniors don’t care [to know] we do care,” Craven said. “We have a passion about USC and its heritage.

“We’ll never give up. We’ll still fight. We want to win.”

*

With San Jose State Coach Phil Johnson reportedly being told he will be fired at season’s end, speculation has mounted that he will join incoming Coach Tim Floyd’s staff.

Johnson, 46, is a good friend of Floyd’s and has previously worked for him at the University of New Orleans and with the NBA’s Chicago Bulls. Johnson, though, reportedly had three DUIs in an eight-month stretch over 2002-03.

Floyd did not return a call seeking comment.

Current assistant Bob Cantu, meanwhile, has been recruiting for Floyd, though no job has been promised him, and Cantu is not expected back on the USC bench the rest of this season.

*

USC is still looking to fill two spots on next season’s nonconference schedule but the tentative slate has the Trojans playing host to North Carolina, Brigham Young, Western Michigan and St. Mary’s and playing at Loyola Marymount.

The Trojans are also planning on playing in the Wooden Classic, against a to-be-determined opponent, and in the Great Alaska Shootout, whose field is expected to include Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Marquette and Mississippi State.