Injuries haunt Trojans

They don’t know how to react anymore.

The star-crossed USC women’s basketball program seems to have Lady Luck’s evil stepsister on speed dial. This is a team that has the talent to compete with anyone -- if only they could stay healthy.

Which they can’t. It’s already started.

“I still think we’re going to be competitive,” said Coach Mark Trakh, who hopes to return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since nearly upsetting Michigan State in 2004-2005. “Unfortunately, injuries are a part of the game, but I’ve never experienced it to this extent.”

Last season the lineup was as gimpy as a linebacker’s knees. Four players never even suited up. One of them was highly touted guard Jacki Gemelos.

Gemelos, Morghan Medlock, Aarika Hughes, Hailey Dunham helped make last season’s recruiting class among the best in the nation. And all dealt with injuries. Gemelos’ season was wiped out by a knee injury. Then a month ago, she reinjured the knee and is out for the season. Again.

“Jacki is the Pete Maravich of the women’s game,” said Trakh, who is beginning his fourth season with the Trojans. “She’s one of the top names in the women’s game, and she hasn’t played a second.”

Camille LeNoir, a junior point guard who missed last season after breaking her hip, saw Gemelos go down during practice.

“A lot of us were in the gym when it happened, and we were all in shock,” she said. “Everyone was like, ‘Oh my gosh, not again.’ ”

Yes, again. But it doesn’t stop there. Stefanie Gilbreath, a high school All-American guard from Katy, Texas, was the seventh-best prospect in the country, according to Blue Star Basketball, but she’s out for the season because of a torn knee ligament suffered in a McDonald’s All-American practice.

Despite last season’s injuries, the team still was one victory from going to the NCAA tournament. USC finished 17-13, fifth in the Pacific 10 Conference with a 10-8 record, and lost in the semifinals of the conference tournament.

In the lineup -- knock on wood -- are LeNoir, who averaged 12.7 points and 4.1 assists in 2005-06; Brynn Cameron, who averaged a team-high 9.8 points in 2004-2005 but was limited to 10 games in 2005-2006 because of a hip injury and missed all of last season after giving birth to her son, Cole; and Markisha Lea, a 6-foot-1 center who played in 28 games in 2005-06 but missed last season because of a knee injury.

Dunham and Hughes are back too, and sound, after sitting out 10 games apiece last season. Allison Jaskowiak and Simone Jelks missed three apiece. The injury list from last season included starter Jamie Funn, since graduated, who missed 14 games.

“Everyone said we’re cursed,” said Dunham, a 6-2 sophomore guard who backed up the point last season and shot 39% from the field but missed games because of a broken back. “We have so much talent, so much potential, and yet players keep going down.”

Trakh is trying to keep his team upbeat, that the glass is half full instead of broken.

“Coach Trakh always talks about how things are going to soon start falling in our favor,” LeNoir said. “With these injuries, we’ve still become successful.”

Injuries are “always upsetting and frustrating,” she added, “but we can’t dwell on that too long because we have to focus on the task at hand, which is getting back to the tournament.”

LeNoir then corrects herself. “We don’t just want to make it to the tournament,” she said. “We want to make a deep run.”

And not twist an ankle doing it.

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martin.henderson@latimes.com

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Scouting report

* They’re back: G/F Allison Jaskowiak, 5-11, Sr. (3.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg); G Camille LeNoir, 5-6, Jr. (12.7 ppg, 4.1 apg, 2005-06); G Brynn Cameron, 5-10, Jr. (5.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2005-06); F Simone Jelks, 5-11, Sr. (2.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg).

* They’re new: G Heather Oliver, 5-10, So., Victoria (Australia) Wangaratta HS/Central Arizona Community College; F, Kari LaPlante, 6-5, Fr., Glendale (Ariz.) Mountain Ridge HS; F Kate Henderson, 5-11, Sr., Washington; G Daniela Roark, 5-7, Jr., Fordham; G Stefanie Gilbreath, 6-1, Fr., Katy (Texas) Cinco Ranch HS.

* Last season: 17-13, fifth in Pacific 10 Conference; lost to Stanford, 67-52, in semifinals of the Pac-10 tournament.

* This season depends on: Whether the Trojans can remain healthy. LeNoir is the best player, but can she hold up after microfracture surgery on her hip? Will Cameron, a starter and a top scorer in her freshman season, regain her shooting touch?

* Offensively: Led by LeNoir, the Trojans will run 10 players night after night and not rely on one person for the big score.

* Defensively: Going 10 deep on the roster, there can’t be a break in the chain. Jaskowiak and Jelks must continue to shut down opponents, and Nadia Parker (6-3) and LaPlante will have to rebound to start the fastbreak.

* X-factor: Among the top rotation, there are only two seniors, the chemistry is good, and there is young talent. Oliver was on the Australian 21-under national team and has a great shot. The quicker LaPlante develops, the better for USC.

-- Martin Henderson