USC shoots past San Diego

For every San Diego spurt, there was just too much Taj Gibson brawn.

For every Toreros push, there was simply too much O.J. Mayo flash.

Spunky San Diego hung tough with USC on Thursday night at the Anaheim Convention Center before finally succumbing, 60-50, in the first round of the Anaheim Classic when Gibson and Mayo took over in the final minutes.

After Toreros guard De’Jon Jackson buried a three-pointer to pull San Diego to within five points, Gibson responded with a lay-in.

After San Diego’s Gyno Pomare made a pair of free throws to again bring the Toreros to within five, Mayo made a floating jump shot.

The Toreros eventually trimmed their deficit to 51-47 on a three-pointer by Ray Murdock and got the ball back with little more than a minute to play after tying up USC freshman guard Angelo Johnson for a jump ball. But Murdock’s subsequent three-point attempt rattled out and Trojans sophomore guard Daniel Hackett grabbed the rebound.

USC worked the shot clock into single digits before Mayo banked in a jump shot. The freshman guard then made one of two free throws and stole the ball on the Toreros’ ensuing possession before going in for a dunk that put the game out of reach.

“I just wanted to pressure the ball and got lucky and got a steal,” said Mayo, who scored seven of the Trojans’ final 11 points.

Gibson finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds and Mayo scored 20 points for USC (3-1), which advanced to play Miami of Ohio (2-0) in a semifinal at 9:30 tonight. The RedHawks defeated South Alabama, 64-59, on Thursday night.

Junior guard Brandon Johnson had 19 points for San Diego (2-3), which lost despite forcing 20 turnovers and out-rebounding the Trojans, 35-32.

“We looked like a frustrated group out there tonight, and I think you give the credit to USD,” USC Coach Tim Floyd said. “They were very solid on the defensive end and efficient on the offensive end.”

After wiping out a nine-point deficit late in the first half, San Diego trailed 27-23 at halftime.

The Trojans had surged ahead, 23-14, on a pull-up jump shot by Gibson before the Toreros rattled off nine consecutive points to tie the score. Johnson had seven points during the spurt, which he capped with a three-pointer that tied the score at 23.

USC contributed to San Diego’s cause when it picked up a technical foul for illegal substitution after briefly putting six players on the court. Murdock made both technical free throws for the Toreros.

Trojans freshman forward Davon Jefferson made his long-awaited debut with 11:41 left in the first half and had several moments to remember in the early going before finishing with five points and three rebounds in 19 minutes.

He stole the ball and led a fastbreak that ended with his emphatically slamming the ball into the basket after a give-and-go exchange with Mayo, who lofted a perfectly placed alley-oop pass to his teammate. Jefferson later glided toward the basket and converted a double-clutch layup.

“You could see his talent,” Floyd said. “He’s got great, great talent.”

Jefferson sat out USC’s first three games after missing significant practice time because of a sprained knee, with Floyd saying that the big man lagged behind his teammates in his conditioning and understanding of team concepts.

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ben.bolch@latimes.com

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UP NEXT FOR USC

Miami of Ohio, 9:30 tonight, Anaheim Convention Center, ESPN2 -- Junior swingman Michael Bramos scored 28 points on 10-for-18 shooting for the RedHawks (2-0) during their 64-59 victory over South Alabama in the first round of the Anaheim Classic. Senior forward Tim Pollitz had 15 points and 16 rebounds for Miami of Ohio, which out-rebounded the Jaguars, 40-29.

-- Ben Bolch