USC Basketball: Andy Enfield Praises Growth Of 3 Young Trojans
A 5-3 start for the Trojans isn't the start they were hoping for.
Two losses against both ranked teams USC has played – Gonzaga and Oklahoma, along with an upset loss at home to UC Irvine, has left the team 8th in the Pac-12 with plenty to be desired for entering conference play.
One asterisk on USC's season thus far has been injuries, as not only did Boogie Ellis and Kobe Johnson sit out their loss to UC Irvine, but Bronny James has yet to play.
Depth has been a serious issue for the Trojans, and getting James and a healthy Vince Iwuchukwu (offseason back surgery) and a more productive Kijani Wright will unlock another layer for this team as the season rolls on.
Head coach Andy Enfield has high praise for the Iwuchukwu and Wright, as well as Isaiah Collier, who has gotten off to a solid start this season. Here's what he had to say about them, per USC Communications:
“We saw improvement with all those guys you mentioned (Vincent Iwuchukwu, Kijani Wright and Isaiah Collier)," Enfield said. "We cannot be a good team without our frontline playing well defensively, as well as finishing shots in the lane; we have to have a low post presence.
"They don't have to have amazing back to the basket moves, but they have to have a go to move and finish especially like they did tonight," he continued. "Very impressed with their week of practice and some of the things that they've done to prepare for this game and we need to continue.”
Enfield does a good job emphasizing their importance while also explaining what he needs from them, as the former Pac-12 Coach of the Year outlined that providing rim protection and being lob threats are all that Iwuchukwu and Wright need to do to add value.
USC hasn't had a high-value rim-running, two-way center since Evan Mobley back in 2021, and their lack of one has definitely capped their offensive ceiling. Having a big body to set great screens, be a lob threat, finish around the basket, and act as a lid on the basket can elevate teams from being good to great on both sides of the ball, and both Iwuchukwu and Wright have the potential to be just that.
Don't forget to join our community at LA Sports Report, where we celebrate all things Trojans!
