New players show a real thirst for learning what USC Coach Kevin O’Neill is teaching

Soon after last season’s first intrasquad scrimmage, USC men’s basketball Coach Kevin O’Neill wanted a stiff drink.

“I remember thinking, I’m going straight to a barroom someplace because this isn’t going to be any fun this year,” O’Neill said.

But after Saturday’s Cardinal and Gold scrimmage, he felt more relieved than thirsty. His team looked sharp and executed plays well, and many of his young players showed promise.

Part of that, O’Neill said, is that it’s his second season coaching the Trojans, so key returning players understand his system. Another part, he added, is that the new players, many of whom are more athletic and talented than those they replaced, have proved to be fast learners.

“We’re able to run a lot of stuff effectively this early,” he said. “I haven’t had a lot of teams really do it that much.”

In four four-minute quarters that followed a 2½-hour practice, the Cardinal beat the Gold, 39-29. Senior guard Donte Smith scored a game-high 20 points for the Gold team on five-for-12 shooting.

The Cardinal team featured what could be the Trojans’ starting lineup — forwards Alex Stepheson and Nikola Vucevic and guards Maurice Jones, Bryce Jones and Marcus Simmons.

Both Joneses looked impressive for freshmen, especially Maurice, a 5-foot-7 point guard who had six points and three assists, and showcased darting speed, a devastating crossover dribble and above-average court vision.

On one play, he weaved through the defense to the low block, then threw a no-look pass from an almost impossible angle to Vucevic for an easy bucket.

Aside from saying Maurice had “great instincts,” O’Neill also called him a “one-man press break,” the role point guard Mike Gerrity held last season for USC.

“We spent about 15 minutes working on press breaks [Saturday],” O’Neill said, “and I said, ‘Listen, if you can get the ball and dribble through everybody, would you do that please so we don’t have to mess around with anything.’”

Etc.

Freshman forward Garrett Jackson had to get six stitches around his left eye after being hit by an elbow during Wednesday’s practice. He also suffered a slight fracture in his nose and will visit a doctor Tuesday to see if he can return Wednesday. . . . Transfer guard Jio Fontan was held out of the scrimmage because of a muscle strain around his ribs. . . . Zena Edosomwan, a 6-foot-8 junior from North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake High who reportedly is being recruited by several Pacific 10 Conference schools, attended the scrimmage. . . USC’s first exhibition game is Nov. 6 against Point Loma Nazarene at 2 p.m. at the Galen Center.

baxter.holmes@latimes.com