With Daniel Hackett leaving USC to play professional ball, the Trojans could use more depth at point guard. On Sunday they filled that glaring need. Oak Hill Academy star Lamont Jones signed a letter of intent to play at USC. Jones is ranked as the 11th best prep point guard in the nation by Rivals.com.
It is being reported that USC basketball players DeMar DeRozan and Daniel Hackett will both enter the NBA draft. Hackett plans to sign with ASM sports, agent Andrew Vye told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.
Freshman DeMar DeRozan told the Orange County Register that he has declared for the draft and sent his paperwork to the NBA. DeRozan has not signed with an agent yet.
Nothing official has been reported about Taj Gibson. Many media outlets are speculating that he will enter the draft but not sign with an agent.
Arizona forward Jordan Hill will skip his senior season to enter the draft. His teammate, junior point guard Nic Wise, says he will also declare for the draft but will not hire an agent.
UCLA freshman guard Jrue Holiday is declaring for the 2009 NBA Draft according to ESPN.com.
Now, this news isn't shocking but it is a bit perplexing. USC junior guard Daniel Hackett will declare for the draft and sign with ASM sports, agent Andrew Vye told ESPN.com on Wednesday night. Hackett is the second USC player to officially enter the draft Wednesday. Freshman DeMar DeRozan told the Orange County Register that he declared. He said... more »
Sources say DeMar DeRozan, Taj Gibson and Daniel Hackett will make themselves available for the draft. USC's basketball team is expected to have an entirely different look next season, as forward DeMar DeRozan, forward Taj Gibson and guard Daniel Hackett have all decided to make themselves available for the NBA draft, according to multiple sources.... more »
Juniors Taj Gibson and Daniel Hackett were named co-MVPs of the 2008-09 USC men's basketball team at the Trojans' annual awards banquet held tonight (March 31) in the Founders Club at the Galen Center.... more »
What a weekend! If you picked most of the top seeds for your March madness brackets you are probably doing very well. The next round of the tournament starts on Thursday, but the most important story in the upcoming weeks is whether or not Daniel Hackett, DeMar DeRozan and Taj Gibson will return for another year. Here are the players answers to that question after the tough loss to Michigan State.
Taj Gibson:
"I don't know. Right now I just want to be around my teammates. It's still up in the air."
Daniel Hackett:
"I haven't started to think about that. I'm very disappointed about this game. I'm very emotional."
DeMar DeRozan:
DeRozan said will meet with his family and Coach Floyd and “just look at everything."
If the players do enter the draft, experts speculate that DeRozan could be a mid to high first rounder, Gibson a late first rounder or early second rounder and Hackett sometime in the second round.
Demar Derozan celebrates USC's 79-75 victory over Cal. The Trojans were big on the boards and got four critical free throws from Daniel Hackett in final 3.8 seconds.
Next up: FUCLA tonight (3/13) at 8:30pm (Staples Center). Student tickets are only $10.
Pac-10 coaches selected Taj Gibson as the Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Gibson and Daniel Hacket were also selected to the All-Conference Second team and Pac-10 All-Defensive team. DeMar DeRozan was selected to the Pac-10 All-Freshman team.
Tonight the Trojans (18-12, 9-9) face the California Golden Bears (22-9, 11-7) at the Staples Center at 6 p.m. in the Pacific Life Pac-10 tournament. The Bears 43.8% three-point field goal percentage currently ranks first in the nation.
USC and Cal split their two previous games this year with each team winning on their own home court. The winner of this game plays the winner of UCLA vs. Washington St. on Friday. The Trojans will need a strong showing in the tournament if they hope to make March Madness.
A Complete list of All-Conference Teams after the jump.
I asked three members of the USC basketball program what it will take for them to win three games in three days at the Pac-10 Tournament — probably the only route to the NCAA Tournament for the barely-on-the-bubble Trojans. Taj Gibson’s response was far and away the best: “Maturity, heart and courage.” It was such a “Wizard of Oz”... more »
The junior guard's outspoken nature has led to some confrontations this season, and he acknowledges he is deeply competitive. His team is relying on that passion in the Pac-10 tournament. Daniel Hackett, his father says, was raised "to say how he feels and say how he thinks."... more »
The Trojans (18-12, 9-9) finished their regular season by defeating Oregon State (13-16, 7-11) 68-52 at the Galen Center on Saturday.
Daniel Hackett had 17 points and Demar DeRozan scored 16. Taj Gibson had five blocked shots and finished the regular season with 86 breaking his own USC record for most blocks in season. He set the record last year with 84.
With the win USC earned the sixth seed for the Pacific Life Pac-10 tournament. They play CAL (22-9, 11-7) in the quarterfinals Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Staples center.
It only took seven games, but last night the Trojans (17-12, 8-9) finally won. USC defeated Oregon (8-20, 2-15) 80-66 at the Galen Center. The Trojans are now tied with Arizona and Washington State for fifth place in the Pac-10 with only one conference game remaining.
DeMar DeRozan led the Trojans with 19 points. Daniel Hackett finished with 17 points, six assists and five rebounds. Taj Gaibson scored 18 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had four blocked shots.
On Saturday USC faces a revitalized Oregon State team. A victory will impact the Trojans seeding for the upcoming Pac-10 tournament. If USC has any chance at March Madness, they will have to win the Pac-10 tournament.
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