There were some losses this past week for USC basketball, but the women’s team got stellar outings from two of their guards in a win over Nebraska. In the NBA, many former Trojans continue to have great years, and one former Trojan is showing how valuable they are to their team’s rotation.
Here are my top performers across hoops this past week for USC, both in college and the NBA:
Women’s Basketball – Jazzy Davidson
A week ago, Jazzy Davidson had one of her biggest stat games, and her impact was huge and propelled the Trojans to a win over the No. 20-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers. Davidson had her usual scoring production and tallied 17 points, but it was her play in other facets of the game that was the most impressive. Davidson had 8 rebounds and 5 blocks on defense. It is games like this that really show how valuable a player like Jazzy Davidson is to this team.
Women’s Basketball – Kennedy Smith
While Davidson was dominant against Nebraska on Monday, Kennedy Smith followed suit and was right along with her with 17 points as well. Smith was also dominant in other areas with 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Smith chipped in 2 blocks on the defensive end as well. Having guard play like this in pivotal games is huge for this team, and it gives great confidence that this team can be a force to be reckoned with this year.
NBA – Kevin Porter Jr.
Kevin Porter Jr. continues to be Giannis Antetokounmpo’s best running mate. He has done it as the Bucks’ second-best scorer, averaging 18 points a game this season, and he has also been an elite facilitator. In the 4 games this past week, Porter Jr. had 3 games with double-digit assists. He has scored in double digits each of the 4 games last week, and 3 of which he had at least 15 points. He has been a difference maker, and this Bucks team would be in a way worse spot if you take away his impact.
NBA – Onyeka Okongwu
It has been a disappointing year for the Atlanta Hawks, and there are ongoing talks about sending Trae Young elsewhere. If there is a trade that happens like that, Kristaps Porziņģis very well will be on his way out, too, with how Okongwu has played this year. Okongwu had a terrible game most recently, but in the 3 other games this past week, he was dominant. Okongwu put up two 20-point, 9+ rebound performances. He continues to knock down 3s and be productive on the glass. If there is a revamp in Atlanta, he will be one of the laplayers that remains on the roster and a focal point moving forward.
NBA – Nikola Vučević
There always comes a time when Nikola Vučević looks like the All-Star he used to be. In his last performance, he was flawless from the field, shooting 11-15 and 3-4 from 3, resulting in 28 points. There is always a chance he can be the best Bull on the court. This past week, he put together a 4-game stretch of scoring at least 17 points. As a result of that, the Bulls went 2-2. This team is looking for the future, but Nikola Vučević has been too good for this team to give up if you’re not going to get the right value back in return.
NBA – De’Anthony Melton
De’Anthony Melton is one of the best role players in the league when healthy, and he showed that this past week. Melton is becoming a key part of the Warriors’ rotation. In three games, Melton has provided a necessary presence defensively. In the last three games, Melton has had 2 steals in each of those games. In his most recent game action, Melton posted 13 points, 7 rebounds, and, of course, 2 steals, all coming off the bench. The Warriors were 2-1 in those three games. Melton was productive in. The Warriors will look to get another star or impactful player on this roster. When that happens, Melton’s role will expand even more. I think he will rise to the occasion and show up big for the Dubs.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC hoops struggled this past week, but stars still made an impact
Reporting by Micah Huff, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
