Post by mhbruin on Aug 15, 2021 10:07:22 GMT -8
Next are the second Place USC Trojans. They lose quite a bit, but the cupboard isn't bare. And there is new talent coming in.
GRADUATING
- None -
IN THE DRAFT
These is their 3 leading scorers, their 2 leading rebounders, their assist leader, and their two leading shot blockers.
Tahj Eaddy has come up in the world. A couple of years ago he was playing for Santa Clara. Now he is in the NBA draft.
Isaiah Mobley has declared, but he is not signing with an agent. If he leaves, they lose their best 3-point shooter.
TRANSFERRING OUT
Junior Talin Lewis is also transferring out. He was a jumper and hurdler on the USC track and field team. During the Fall, he was a member of the USC men's basketball team, but he tore his left ACL in the Fall and will sat out the 2021 season.
RETURNING
Enfield returns 6 rotation players and 3 starters. He returns some good players.
Mobley, Peterson, White, Anderson, and Goodwin all played well last season.
Mobley the Elder came on strong at the end of last season. In addition to scoring and rebounding he had 2.9 blocks per game. He clearly benefitted from playing with his brother, but he should be All-Pac-12 next season. He isn't really a center, so he could play along side Goodwin or Morgan.
Ethan Anderson is a decent PG, but at 1.5, his A/TO ratio is just OK. Drew Peterson was a bit better at 1.6.
Max Agbonkpolo shot 36% from the field and 24% from the arc. He had a 0.7 A/TO ratio. I still don't know why he got 16 minutes a game, unless Enfield felt obligated to play him because he was highly-rated out of high school.
Goodwin played a backup role, but he looked like a really good center when he was on the floor. He would have started for a lot of teams.
UCLA was interested in Joshua Morgan when he transferred from Long Beach. He blocked 2.5 shots per game in his one season with the 49ers. He and Goodwin should battle for the starting center job.
Reese Waters is the players formerly known as Reese Dixon-Waters. He is another one of those high-school kids who reclassified and joined the team mid-season.
The most significant loss for the Trojans may be from the bench. Jason Hart, Enfield’s lead assistant and a prized recruiter 2013, has left the Trojans to coaching G-League Ignite. He is being replaced by San Diego State assistant basketball coach Jay Morris.
Clearly SC loses a lot of production, but they return quite a bit of experience and some good talent. They also are bringing in some good players. As much as it pains me to write this, SC should be one of the top teams in the league next year, and they should make the tournament.
I pick them to finish 2nd. So do Less1Brain and Torvick. Wilner goes for 3rd and Vrooman's computer program spits out 6th. That averages out to a 3rd place finish. If you are waiting to see the Trojans collapse into well-deserved ignominy, you may have to wait at least another year.
GRADUATING
- None -
IN THE DRAFT
| Player | Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Evan Mobley | 34 | 16 | 9 | 2 |
| Tahj Eaddy | 31 | 14 | 3 | 3 |
These is their 3 leading scorers, their 2 leading rebounders, their assist leader, and their two leading shot blockers.
Tahj Eaddy has come up in the world. A couple of years ago he was playing for Santa Clara. Now he is in the NBA draft.
Isaiah Mobley has declared, but he is not signing with an agent. If he leaves, they lose their best 3-point shooter.
TRANSFERRING OUT
| Player | Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Destination |
| Noah Baumann | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | Georgia |
Junior Talin Lewis is also transferring out. He was a jumper and hurdler on the USC track and field team. During the Fall, he was a member of the USC men's basketball team, but he tore his left ACL in the Fall and will sat out the 2021 season.
RETURNING
| Player | Games | Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Class | Recruiting Stars | Recruiting Rank |
| Isaiah Mobley | 32 | 28 | 10 | 7 | 2 | Jr | 5 | 17 |
| Drew Peterson | 33 | 28 | 10 | 5 | 3 | Sr | 3 | 331 |
| Isaiah White | 32 | 20 | 8 | 3 | 1 | Sr 5 | Unranked | |
| Ethan Anderson | 25 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 3 | Jr | 3 | 297 |
| Chevez Goodwin | 33 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 1 | Sr 5 | Unranked | |
| Max Agbonkpolo | 33 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 1 | Jr | 4 | 52 |
| Boubacar Coulibaly | 15 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | So | 3 | 222 |
| Reese Waters | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | So | 4 | 52 |
| Joshua Morgan | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Jr | 3 | 174 |
Enfield returns 6 rotation players and 3 starters. He returns some good players.
Mobley, Peterson, White, Anderson, and Goodwin all played well last season.
Mobley the Elder came on strong at the end of last season. In addition to scoring and rebounding he had 2.9 blocks per game. He clearly benefitted from playing with his brother, but he should be All-Pac-12 next season. He isn't really a center, so he could play along side Goodwin or Morgan.
Ethan Anderson is a decent PG, but at 1.5, his A/TO ratio is just OK. Drew Peterson was a bit better at 1.6.
Max Agbonkpolo shot 36% from the field and 24% from the arc. He had a 0.7 A/TO ratio. I still don't know why he got 16 minutes a game, unless Enfield felt obligated to play him because he was highly-rated out of high school.
Goodwin played a backup role, but he looked like a really good center when he was on the floor. He would have started for a lot of teams.
UCLA was interested in Joshua Morgan when he transferred from Long Beach. He blocked 2.5 shots per game in his one season with the 49ers. He and Goodwin should battle for the starting center job.
Reese Waters is the players formerly known as Reese Dixon-Waters. He is another one of those high-school kids who reclassified and joined the team mid-season.
RECRUITS
(#38 class, #5 in Pac-12)
| Name | Size | Position | Recruiting Stars | Recruiting Rank | Offers |
| Malik Thomas | 6-2 175 | CG | 4 | 81 | Arizona, Washington, Pepperdine |
| Harrison Hornery | 6-9 210 | PF | 4 | 102 | Arizona, California, Utah, Washington State |
| Kobe Johnson | 6-5 170 | SG | 3 | 247 | California, DePaul, Kansas State, Colorado State |
Sources in the local hoops scene think Malik Thomas will be one of the best freshmen in the Pac-12.
Hornery is likely the least talented of the three bigs who played for Mater Dei. (I think Nick Davidson who is headed to Nevada may be the best. Wilhelm Breidenbach, who is a great Kurt Rambis look-alike is headed for Nebraska.)
Hornery is likely the least talented of the three bigs who played for Mater Dei. (I think Nick Davidson who is headed to Nevada may be the best. Wilhelm Breidenbach, who is a great Kurt Rambis look-alike is headed for Nebraska.)
TRANSFERRING IN
| Player | Size | Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Assists | From | Class | Recruiting Stars | Recruiting Rank |
| Rejean 'Boogie' Ellis | 6-3 180 | 23 | 10 | 2 | 2 | Memphis | Jr | 4 | 38 |
Boogie Ellis shot 39% on his 3's last season in Memphis. Although he started 15 of the 28 games he played for Memphis, Ellis was named the American Athletic Conference sixth man of the year. He took 237 shots and had 43 assists. I don't think he likes to give the ball up. He only shot 40% from the field, so they call him a "scorer".
CONCLUSION
The most significant loss for the Trojans may be from the bench. Jason Hart, Enfield’s lead assistant and a prized recruiter 2013, has left the Trojans to coaching G-League Ignite. He is being replaced by San Diego State assistant basketball coach Jay Morris.
Clearly SC loses a lot of production, but they return quite a bit of experience and some good talent. They also are bringing in some good players. As much as it pains me to write this, SC should be one of the top teams in the league next year, and they should make the tournament.
I pick them to finish 2nd. So do Less1Brain and Torvick. Wilner goes for 3rd and Vrooman's computer program spits out 6th. That averages out to a 3rd place finish. If you are waiting to see the Trojans collapse into well-deserved ignominy, you may have to wait at least another year.