Michael Cooper started as the Head Coach the other day, months after he hired a staff. It’s a funny world. Funnier still is USC has 3 recruits already, and Michael will meet them soon. The firing of Mark Trakh and his staff was disappointing to many, but the truth is the Trojans have been very disappointing for several seasons. Three years ago 17-13, 10-8 in the Pac 10. Two years ago, the same and last year 17-15, and 9-9 in the Pac 10. Add to the barely winning records, three years without an NCAA trip. Combined with poor attendance in a beautiful new arena, and you have a new coaching staff.
USC lost their coaching staff and their top two scorers and their sixth best scorer. Graduated are Camille LeNoir, 13 points, 4 assists per game. She shot 40 % from Three, and had a 4:3 Turnover to Assist ratio. Also graduated is the # 2 scorer, Nadia Parker, 11 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Nadia only started 17 games last season due to injuries. The 3rd graduate is Brynn Cameron, who led the team with 52 Three’s, 35% and averaged 8 points per game.
The sad part is, of course, the USC injuries. Jacki Gemelos, a fantastic change the game performer out of High School, has missed 3 seasons with knee injuries and is not expected back until the start of Pac 10 play at the earliest. When and if healthy, maybe she will be a game changer again. Even if her mobility is hindered, she is an even better catch and shoot performer than Cameron has been. Gemelos is a 6-0 Guard who is on schedule to graduate in June. Least we forget, Jacki averaged 39 points per game as a High School Sr.
Stefanie Gilbreath is a 6-1 Wing, a redshirt Soph, who has missed her first two seasons at USC and will miss her 3rd, this year, with a knee injury. Like Gemelos, Stefanie was a McDonald’s All American.
The Trojans have 11 healthy players, including 4 Srs to keep them in the top five of the Pac 10, and they hope an NCAA berth. At Center will be Jr Kari LaPlante. Kari averaged 5.6 points and 3.8 rebounds a game last season, while starting half the games. She is the only true Center on the team and must really step up for USC to succeed. She was a top 100 player out of High School. Kari was also a Travel teammate of Kayla Pederson.
The back up Center, and also a Power Forward, is 6-3 Soph Michelle Jenkins, a High School teammate of JJ Hones. Jenkins averaged 10 minutes, 2 points and 1.4 rebounds as a frosh last season. Michelle is an excellent student, and needs that to carry onto the floor. USC needs a big jump in her numbers if they want to make the NCAA Tournament.
USC is talented in the back court and pretty weak and thin in the front court. Eight of their 10 healthy scholarship players are wings and guards. Frosh Christina Marinacci is a 6-1 wing and was a McDonald’s All American. She is one of the two incoming players of the four in her class. The other two, top rated players at that, asked for and received their Letter of Intent Release. Both were front court players. Marinacci has an excellent chance of starting, and at worse will see many minutes. She’s an athletic player and an excellent three point shooter.
Briana Gilbreath is a 6-1 Soph wing who was the Pac 10 Frosh of the Year last season. She was also a McDonald’s All-American, one of five of the team. She averaged 10.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season. Briana was 3rd on the team in scoring and 2nd, almost 1st, in rebounding.
Aarika Hughes, a 6-2 Sr is also in the mix at a wing/forward position. Last year she averaged 4 points and 5 rebounds, but does bring some ruggedness to the mix. And yes, former teammate of JJ’s.
One of the most interesting happenings at USC will be replacing LeNoir at the Point. I suspect Hailey Durham with Ashley Corral her backcourt mate. Dunham is a 6-2 Sr who is a wonderfully gifted athlete who could really benefit from the new coaching. She is not a three point shooter, only 2 in her career, and averaged just 4.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last season. Corral is an excellent shooter, led the team with 53 Three’s although only shot 31% from Three. The 5-9 Soph had a positive Assist to Turnover ratio as a frosh. Corral was a McDonald’s All American.
Heather Oliver is a 5-10 Sr who can shoot. Oliver, an Aussie, shot 42% from Three and averaged 9 points per game. Whether Oliver starts or comes off the bench, her shooting and good defense, Honorable Mention All Pac 10 defense, will merit her a lot of playing time.
Two guards round out the roster, 5-7 Sr Daniela Roark from Pinewood High School and 5-9 Frosh Vicky Tagalicod. Roark played her first two years at Fordham and made 104 Three’s at a clip of 37%. Tagalicod was HoopGrulz 21st rated Point Guard as a High School Sr, despite missing the year with a knee injury.
With the new coaching staff this will be an interesting team to follow. If they were healthy, this would be an excellent team to follow.
USC plays a solid schedule with Gonzaga, Rutgers, Texas and Duke headlining it. No cupcakes for USC, let’s see how they develop. If they do, and Jackie Gemelos can contribute, this team could surprise in 2010, instead of disappointment as in the past.
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