USC basketball head coach Andy Enfield spoke after the loss to the University of Oregon about the game itself, but especially about freshman guard Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. It was Bronny James' first game in conference play with the Trojans as the program is in its last season under the Pac 12.
Subsequently, Enfield still admitted that Bronny is “getting back into basketball shape” as he mentioned the player getting winded during the game. However, he called his performance “solid” against Oregon Thursday night according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
“Bronny was very solid tonight,” Enfield said to ESPN. “He's still getting back into basketball shape. He gets winded, so we have to give him breaks, but he's really good at asking to come out of the game. He's a very impressive young man.”
Bronny James played 15 minutes in the loss where he scored five points, collected three rebounds, had one assist, and stole the ball two times. Coming off the bench, Enfield said he had great energy in the second unit, but said he needs to keep getting better after Bronny suffered from cardiac arrest on July 24 during a USC basketball practice.
“He gave us good energy off the bench. He just needs to keep getting better,” Enfield said. “It's only his fourth game, and so he's a big part of our team, like our other guys, and we need that. We need all of our guys to improve, including him.”
Bronny James' teammate talks about what he offers to the Trojans
Talking about the situation with James, it seems as if Enfield is putting the player on a minutes restriction as he gets acclimated with the game. He usually has three-minute stints off the bench according to ESPN. His teammate, senior DJ Rodman, credited James saying that he is a “top defender” on the Tojans and that he loves playing with him.
“I think he's a top defender on our team,” Rodman said. “He can make plays, and he's for sure a point guard [with the way he plays]. I love playing with him, and I love just being around him. I love him as a person and love him as a player.”
Andy Enfield talks about USC's loss to Oregon
When it came to the game itself, the USC basketball team was stifled in the first half, going down 20 points entering halftime. The Trojans turned it around in the second half out-scoring Oregon 49-40 and while it ended in a loss, Enfield praised the team for coming alive in the game.
“Our starting lineup decided to play basketball with some passion, some energy and some toughness,” Enfield said. “They didn't do that in the first half … made a lot of defensive mistakes. But in the second half, they started to play like they are capable of. I was very proud of them. They fought back in the game, showed a lot of toughness.”
However, there is no doubt that a lot was left to be desired as Enfield wants to see a complete performance for 40 minutes from his team. To the head coach, it “starts with the upperclassmen” as they have to play like all-conference players.
“But games are 40 minutes long, and it starts with our starting unit,” Enfield said. It starts with our upperclassmen, our guys that are supposedly our preseason all-conference players. They have to play like it.”
DJ Rodman talks about the Trojans' eye-opening reality check after loss
DJ Rodman led the team with 14 points in the loss and said the key is to know their identity and each individual on the team to know “their roles.” He said the loss really was an eye-opening moment for the team after starting the game as sluggish as can be.
“Just knowing our roles, just what we expect out of each other,” Rodman said. “It was nothing harsh, nothing mean. It was just realistic. That was one of the best conversations we had as a team, and I feel like that really opened our eyes.”
Consequently, the loss almost served as a reality check for Rodman and the Trojans saying that the team trusts each other now. He admitted to the media after the game that aspect wasn't there for the start of the season.
“We were just honest with each other, and we saw it [tonight in the second half]. We trust each other out there now. I feel like that wasn't there the first couple games.”
The USC basketball program will get to bounce back after the loss as they face Oregon State on Saturday at 10:00 p.m. (EST). Correspondingly, they are currently 6-6 on the regular season, 0-1 in conference play, and 1-3 with Bronny James in the lineup.
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