USD Men's Basketball 2009-2010

TORERO PREVIEW - A SOLID MIX OF EXPERIENCE & YOUTH

Third-year head coach Bill Grier and his coaching staff enter the 2009-10 campaign with a sense of excitement as they return nine players from last year's 16-16 ball club, and welcome seven new recruits. With a good mixture of experience and youth, the coaches were impressed with the team's chemistry heading into the season. The squad will have good depth with improved quickness and athleticism. The main focus early on w ill be in establishing a team identity and figuring out where all the newcomers are going to fit in. USD received good news over the summer when se– nior guard Brandon Johnson (Houston, TX) was granted an ad– ditional year after he suffered a season-ending injury in game eight against SDSU.Johnson heads into his 5th-year with career averages of 13.2 points, 4.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game. With 1,385 career points (5th all-time) and 425 assists (2nd all-time), he will make a run at topping both of these school records in 2009-10. With the graduation of Gyno Poma re, a three-time WCC 1st team performer and the school's all-time leading scorer (1,725 points)and Division I rebounder (864), along with Rob Jones (9.5 points/5.5 rebounds) leaving the program, the Toreros will look for the following returners to step up their production at both ends of the floor. Senior wing De'Jon Jackson (Fresno, CA), the team's most consistent performer, averaged 8.9 points a year ago. He solidified the Torero backcourt in the second half of the season by moving to the point, and ranked second on the team in assists (63) and steals (27). The senior class is rounded out by fifth -year forward Chris Lewis (Bedford, TX) who averaged 4.4 points per game, and second-year center Roberto Mafra (Re– cife, PE, Brazil) who chipped in with 5.0 points per game and 33 blocked shots. Stated head coach Bill Grier on his returning seniors, "Brandon Johnson is a big key to this year and every day he gets closer and closer to a 100 percent, so I'm hoping by the time we open up he'll be ready to roll. De'Jon Jackson is a guy that has had a tremendous off-season. With those two guys at the guard spot you have confidence as a coach because you have an expe– rienced backcourt. We'll have good leadership with two tough– nosed guards in Brandon and De'Jon, along w ith Chris Lewis, a fifth -year player, and Roberto Mafra who was playing his best basketba ll at the end of last season." USD also returns several players that played sign ificant minutes a year ago. Second-year junior guard Matt Dorr (Spo– kane, WA) earned 30 starts, seeing action at all three perimeter positions, including point guard when Brandon went down with his season-endi ng injury. Dorr averaged 6.5 points, converted 40% of his three-point attempts and led the team with 70 as-

SENIOR GUARD BRANDON JOHNSON sists. Junior guard Devin Ginty (Alta, CA) appeared in all 32 games with 8 starts and averaged 3.7 points while converting just under 80% of his free throws. Junior forward Clinton Hous– ton (Dallas, TX), who played in 21 games with 5 starts, will be counted on heavily to rebound and defend. Two returning walk– ons will compete for playing time - sophomore guard Ryan Har– bour (Hinsdale, IL) and freshman guard Mitch Wool pert (San Luis Obispo, CA). The USD coaching staff also welcomes their first "true" recruiting class with seven newcomers. The group includes five freshmen, one JC transfer and one Division I transfer.The fresh– man class includes 6-1 guard Cameron Miles (Dallas, TX), 6-2 combo guard Patrick McCollum (Tacoma, WA), 6-4 two-guard Jordan Mackie (Los Angeles, CA), 6-5 wing Ken Rancifer (Oakland, CA) and 6-8 post player Chris Manresa (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA).Rafael Crescencio (Sao Paulo, Brazil), a 6-9 post player comes to USD from Arizona Western College in Yuma and will provide much needed depth inside. Chris Gabriel (Cape Town, South Af– rica), a 6-10 post player has transferred in from New Mexico State and will sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules.