USC is "Hovering Near the Top". Coach Mark Trakh has his team at the top of the Pac-10, the top 10 of Women's College Basketball. But that hovering will be delayed for a season due to three top players missing the present season. Standout point guard Camille LeNoir, super freshman Jackie Gemelos and outstanding 3-point shooter Brynn Cameron will miss this season. So what will 2006-07 bring? Maybe a .500 season.
In addition to the three major losses above, USC lost solid Meghan Gnekow to graduation. That's right, Trakh went into the past off-season with only one loss and a potential Top 10 team. Then the roof fell in before the Women of Troy could move to the new Galen Center.
USC does have their post players back. Chloe Kerr is a 6-3 senior who averaged 9 points and 6 rebounds per game last season. Backing Kerr up will be 6-3 sophomore Nadia Parker, who averaged 4 points and 3 rebounds. Also at the center position could be 6-1 senior Markisha Lea, who played 10 minutes a game last year.
At a forward position will be their leader, Shay Murphy. Murphy is a 5-11 senior who led the team last season in scoring at 17.6 ppg and rebounding at 7.3 rpg. She also took twice as many shots as any returning player, shooting 42.5% overall and 34% from 3. Not very good percentages, but in the first few games this season, Shay has been the shooter and scorer for USC.
Jamie Funn is a 6-2 senior who could play many minutes at both the 4 and 5 positions. Funn averaged 5 points and almost 6 rebounds per game last season.
The point guard will be veteran 5-4 senior Jamie Hagiya. Jamie split time with LeNoir last year and averaged 6 points and 3.5 assists per game.
The wings will mix some new players and some returnees. 5-11 senior Allison Jaskowiak will probably be one starter after averaging 26 minutes last season. She also averaged 4 points and 4 rebounds per game. The other starter could be our JJ Hones' teammate from Southridge, 6-2 freshman Aarika Hughes. 6-2 freshman Hailey Dunham will see a lot of playing time at the 1, the 2 and the 3. She will be the back up point guard to Hagiya.
Other wings include 5-11 junior Simone Jelks, who was injured quite a bit last season. 6-1 freshman Morghan Medlock will see quite a bit of play at both the 2 and the 3. She was highly recruited.
What could have been! However they will play six seniors, and if their three standout freshmen develop, I could be wrong and USC could challenge for a top 4 league finish, their early loss to South Dakota State notwithstanding.
Recruiting: 6-1 five-star Stefanie Gilbreath is a Top 15 player. 6-5 Kari LaPlante is the # 9 Center and # 90 or so player in the country. However USC graduates two of their three centers, so Kari fills a huge need.
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