With raw potential and veteran leadership, the USC men’s basketball team is ready to prove they are the best team in the Pac-12. After a heartbreaking loss to Miami in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, the Trojans rebuilt with a completely new roster.
Head coach Andy Enfield pulled out one of the all-time best recruiting classes for USC men’s hoops, bringing in four highly ranked recruits from USC’s own backyard of California and one from the NBA Global Academy in Australia.
Though the freshmen are flashy, it’s really the veteran players that will keep the team gelled together. Fifth year guard Drew Peterson headlines the veteran group.
At USC’s first official practice of the season on Monday, when asked what he has to prove in his fifth year of college basketball, Peterson said, “Looking to have a good year, more just looking to make a run in March Madness. We’re hungry, we want to get back at it. We had a taste of it in the Elite 8 a couple of years ago so we want to get back there.”
Peterson is also looking forward to being a role model for the young guys. When asked what he’s looking to teach the younger players, Peterson said, “It’s cool taking on more of a leadership role this year and being able to help them along and just understanding what to do in certain actions and rotations.”
Peterson’s ability to teach the freshmen can only go so far. However, according to Enfield, the team is a great melting pot of talent.
“We have guys that were a part of a lot of winning the last few years and so we’re excited to see what they can do,” Enfield said. “New guys are exciting, they’re very talented, and I think we have a good mix of experience as well as good freshmen.”
This year the Trojans are an upgraded version of last season’s team. Senior guard Boogie Ellis is ready to step up in a major way.
“Just honing in on my point guard skills, being a leader and just locking in on defensive assignments,” Ellis said of what he’s working on attacking differently this year as opposed to his first season with USC last year. “So I could put guys in position and show the freshmen around and how to do things.”
The Trojans’ schedule this year is tough. All eyes will be on the headline event: The Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament from Nov. 23-25 in the Bahamas where the Trojans will potentially take on some of college basketball’s top programs such as Kansas, Tennessee and Wisconsin just to name a few. Aside from that tournament, let’s not forget USC’s non-conference slate is rounded out with a home game against the Auburn Tigers on Dec. 18.
Many including Peterson and Ellis are especially amped up for Pac-12 play.
“We got to take things game by game, but the UCLA game is obviously one of the biggest that we have so I’m definitely looking forward to that,” Ellis said of the game he is most excited to play in.
The Trojans are looking forward to this year and revenge after UCLA snapped USC’s five-game winning streak over the Bruins last season. This year could be the start of something great for the men’s basketball team.