Wooden features Classic games

Basketball: In seventh annual Wooden Classic, undefeated No. 15 Trojans face No. 18 Utah in doubleheader Saturday

By YING LE
Assistant Sports Editor

Surrounded by a golf tournament, a Special Olympics basketball clinic and a banquet, the USC men's basketball team isn't partaking in a regular basketball game this weekend. Instead, the Trojans are the entertainment in a doubleheader Saturday as part of the seventh annual John R. Wooden Classic, named after the legendary UCLA coach.

The first game features UCLA against Georgia Tech at noon, and 30 minutes after that is the USC-Utah match up at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, Calif.

It's the second consecutive year that the Trojans (3-0) have participated in the Classic, and Coach Henry Bibby, who played under Wooden in the early '70s at UCLA, said he enjoys being a part of the annual event.

"I like being a part of it because of what Coach Wooden stands for," Bibby said. "He stands for education and hard work. I know what it means to him."

Players on the team are also aware of what playing in the Classic means.

"Anytime you're affiliated with Wooden, you're happy to be there," said senior Brian Scalabrine. "We just hope that we take this and go with it because the Classic is packed with great teams. We're happy to be part of that once again."

Being a part of the Classic is the first step. Now, the Trojans have to prove that their No. 15 ranking isn't a fluke and that they are capable of playing the top teams in the country, starting with No. 18 Utah.

Last year, the Utes were ousted in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and the year before that, they were runner-up.

Utah (4-1), which has won the last two meetings against the Trojans, have a new look this season with only four returning players, including one starter, and a host of newcomers. Among the returners are juniors Jeff Johnsen and Kevin Bradley and senior Nate Althoff the team's top three scorers.

The Utes will be without Coach Rick Majerus until January as he recovers from knee surgery he had in late September. He coached the first game of the season against Idaho State, but because of excessive pain and swelling in his knee, he is taking time to rehabilitate.

Third year assistant Dick Hunsaker is the acting head coach.

Unlike the Utes, the Trojans return all five starters from last year and have built a solid bench with a mix of returners and newcomers.

Freshman Desmon Farmer has been subbing for an injured Jeff Trepagnier.

Junior guard Trepagnier, out with a hairline fracture in his left foot, is questionable for Saturday and Bibby said that he wants him to be fully healthy before jumping back into the lineup. Farmer started all three games this season and is averaging 11 points and three rebounds.

"It's been great (to start)," Farmer said. "I'm getting a lot of experience. I'm just trying to continue to contribute so we don't miss a step with Jeff out."

The Classic, which benefits Special Olympics Southern California, began Thursday with the golf tournament in Newport Beach.

Today is the Special Olympics basketball clinic and the banquet, and Saturday marks the conclusion with the doubleheader.

Copyright 2000 by the Daily Trojan. All rights reserved.
This article was published in Vol. 141, No. 63 (Friday, December 1, 2000), beginning on page 12 and ending on page 11.