If USC is healthy, this will be a very strong team. Last year they were 19-12 and 12-6 in Pac 10 play. They missed the NCAAs as they were 3-5 in their tough non league games, and while better that the majority of Pac 10 teams in this regards, that hurt them in league play, as the Pac 10 was not deemed a strong league. The Trojans, like the Bruins, don’t do WNITs.
LOSSES:
Well USC let go the two main coaches who ran the program from April to September of last season, and seemed to run the team during games. Hard to figure, so I won’t dwell on it.
Four players graduated, Aarika Hughes, Heather Oliver, Hailey Dunham and Daniella Roark.
Hughes was the 4th leading scorer, averaging 7 points and 5 rebounds in 26 minutes. She started all but one game. Oliver averaged 7 points and was 2nd on the team with 43 threes at 38%. Oliver averaged 19 minutes a game. Dunham averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds in 24 minutes per game. Dunham started most games. Roark played almost all the games and was 4th on the team with 16 threes at 38%. Roark averaged 2points per game.
ADDITIONS:
The biggest name and best addition is Sr Stephanie Gilbreath who has missed the past 3 seasons with ACL injuries. Stephanie was a McDonald’s All American and will start her college playing career close to a degree and 21 ½ years of age. All indications are that she is healthy.
Cassie Harberts is an incoming frosh and was ranked the # 11 player and # 2 Power Forward. She averaged 25 points per game as a Sr.
Desiree Bradley is a frosh and ranked the # 35 player and the # 8 Small Forward in the country.
Thaddesia Southall is a frosh and was the # 99 recruit and # 20 Power Forward in the Country.
Len'nique Brown is another frosh and was the # 54 Point Guard in the country.
Lauren White is the 5th frosh in this excellent class and was the # 61 Center in the Country.
A really outstanding group of newcomers being added to an already strong Trojan team.
NON CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:
Gonzaga, Duke, Georgia, Xavier, San Diego State, Fresno State. A solid schedule. If USC can go 5-1 against these teams the Pac 10 RPI increases quite a bit. 4-2 also probably helps quite a bit.
BY POSITION:
POSTS:
Kari LaPlante is a 6-5 Sr who averaged 7 points and 5 rebounds a game last season. LePlante was both all defensive and all academic all Pac 10 honorable mention. She has really improved on Defense and averaged 26 minutes a game for the Trojans.
Michelle Jenkins is a 6-3 3rd year Soph who played only 3 games last season as a knee injury ended her year. She played almost all the games as a Frosh 2 years ago as the back up Post player.
Lauren White is a 6-4 Frosh who was the # 61 Center in the country last year.
POWER FORWARDS:
Cassie Harberts is a 6-2 Frosh and was the # 11 player and # 2 Power Forward last year. She is a relentless player, every rebound belongs to her, and she is going to be a scoring treat to 15’ but especially on the offensive boards.
Stephanie Gilbreath is finally able to play in her Sr year after missing three years with knee injuries. Stephanie is a 6-1 more power than finesse player, so I suspect she will debut at this position. That and the great wing depth USC has. She was as high as the # 11 player out of High School.
Thaddesia Southall is a 6-4 Frosh and was the # 99 player and # 20 Power Foward out of High School.
WINGS:
Brianna Gilbreath, Stephanie’s sister, is a 6-1 Jr. Last season Brianna averaged 13points and 6 rebounds per game, 2nd on the team in scoring and first in rebounding. She was all Pac 10 and the co Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year. Like her sister she was a McDonald’s All American in High School.
Jackie Gemelos is a 5th year player who played for the first time this past season after 4 ACL’s. A tremendously inspirational story for this one time top 1-2 recruit in the country. Gemelos averaged 39 points and 9 assists per game as a High School Sr. Last season she played 11 games and averaged 7.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
Christina Marinacci is a 6-1 Soph who last season averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds in 18 minutes per game. Marinacci was a McDonalds All American and scored 43 points to lead her team to a CIF title as a High School Sr.
Desiree Bradley is a 6-1 Frosh who was the # 35 player and # 8 wing in High School this past season. Desiree is said to be a good 3 point shooter, something UCSC sorely needs.
POINT GUARDS:
Ashley Corral is a 5-9 Jr who was USC’s leading scoring last season at 15 points per game. Corral also averaged 5 assists per game and was All Pac 10. A McDonald’s All American in High School. She made 85 three points, the only returning player with more than 8. She hit 36% of her three point attempts. On top of all that she averaged 4.5 rebounds per game.
Vicky Tagalicod is a 5-9 2nd year Frosh who missed last season with a knee injury.
Len’Nique Brown is a 5-5 Frosh Guard who was ranked as the # 54 Point Guard last season in High School.
FORECAST:
If healthy, the same words used now for the 5th year in a row, USC will be very formidable. They have in essence 9 new players of their 13 scholarship players as 5are Frosh and 4 played a total of 11 games due to knee injuries. A great deal of meshing must occur and that will test 2nd year Coach Michael Cooper. In Corral they have one of the League’s best and then that big “IF”, if healthy and Stephanie Gilbreath and Jackie Gemelos can play near their former form, the Trojans will be very good.
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