The USC men’s basketball team defeated Mega Mis, 76-73, on Wednesday in Mykonos, Greece.
The game is the first of three the Trojans will play in their European tour through Greece and Croatia. Winning the game feels good, but the important part of this tour is helping USC players feel comfortable playing together in live-game situations. No one should have expected a crisp, polished first game, especially with players enjoying life as tourists in Europe and doing team-bonding off the court.
We don’t want to overreact to a summer exhibition game. Drawing really big conclusions is always risky. This team will evolve (at least, we sure hope it will). What you see now will be different and advanced in November.
What can we safely conclude from an Aug. 9 exhibition game in Europe? Isaiah Collier is the truth. He dominated this game even though his 3-point shot and his free throw shooting were both substandard. Collier’s jumper wasn’t flowing, yet he still got to the rim at will and finished through contact. His combination of speed and strength is undeniable. It’s impossible to ignore.
Keep in mind Mega Mis, the European team USC played on Wednesday, has size and length. Collier still got to the basket against that size. He’s a strong man with an explosive first step off the dribble and great burst to the basket. He was everything he was advertised to be … and he can be so much better. If he is able to shoot jumpers reasonably well, watch out.
USC plays again on NBA TV on Friday. The Trojans have a rematch against Mega Mis in Greece before moving to Dubrovnik, Croatia, for a morning game on Sunday, Aug. 13.
Below are highlights from the Wednesday victory, followed by analysis and takeaways: