lakey out at USC

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SoCalHoops College Basketball

Lakey Quits USC Team; More To Follow?--(March 25, 1999)

Greg Lakey (6'-8" So. F) has decided to quit the USC team and intends to transfer to Loyola Marymount. He is the third Trojan player this year to quit the team, upset over his playing time, and the fifth to quit in two seasons. Last year center Phillip Von Backstrom quit along with guard Danny Walker, and this year in December point guard Kevin Augustine left the team, while Quincy Wilder announced he would be leaving a couple of weeks ago. And while some writers have speculated that Lakey's intended transfer announcement came as a surprise to the USC coaches, trust us, it wasn't, and there have been rumors widely circulated for the last two weeks about dissatisfaction among most of the forwards on the USC team which have been well known to the coaching staff.

Lakey told reporters yesterday that he had informed Coach Bibby that he was not satisfied with his role on the team, and that he was upset about a lack of playing time. "I already spent two years here and I haven't accomplished what I wanted to accomplish. I did what I could and I coundn't get in there. I really just thought about it (transferring) a couple of days ago," Lakey said.

The writing has been on the wall for several months about Wilder and Lakey, and it's possible, according to published reports in the LA Daily News today that other USC players might leave. The Daily News speculates that Shannon Swillis and Jarvis Turner are also upset about their inconsistent roles on the team and that they might also transfer. We were unable to get any confirmation about the truth of any further transfers.

The Daily News asked several other players about transferring, and was reportedly told by Brian Scalabrine and Jeff Trepagnier that neither of them have any plans to leave. "I don't know why they're leaving. The coaches are cool. I'll be here," Trepagnier reportedly told reporters.

Bibby has made no secret of the fact that USC would like to sign another point guard and at least one other post man. Now that there are three openings, look for Marlon Parmer's stock to rise with the Trojans, but the biggest problem for Bibby and Silvy Dominguez will be the sparse unsigned talent left among this year's senior class forwards. However there are a few who are qualified, including Armand Thomas and Ryan Sims of Crenshaw (well, there's some question about whether Armand will qualify,but Ryan will), Noel Felix of Inglewood, Glen McGowan of Venice, or Jeremiah Turner of Sylmar. We'd look for them to sign at least one JC player in the mix as well.