Freshman quickly becomes asset
USC was clinging to a one-point lead at Texas A&M earlier this month when Coach Andy Enfield called on his two point guards to execute a halfcourt trap. Jordan McLaughlin and De’Anthony Melton converged where the half-court line met the boundary. Seeing this, the Aggies’ guard turned his back to separate and get more time.
The instant the guard turned his head, Melton burst forward like a horse from the starting gate and swiped the ball from behind. He made one of two foul shots and USC stole a road upset.
It was that type of anticipation, in just Melton’s third college game, that signaled to Enfield that his young point guard might not require much of an adjustment period.
“He can see things happening and then put himself in a position to get a deflection or a steal,” Enfield said. “He’s reacting as the play is happening. He just has an ability to get a lot of deflections.”
USC had recruited Melton thinking he would sit and learn behind USC’s two talented point guards, Jordan McLaughlin and Julian Jacobs. Melton said he anticipated watching them run the offense and “then next year hopefully be ready to play.”
Then Jacobs was a surprise entrant in the NBA draft, “so our plans quickly changed,” Enfield said.
Melton has been one of the major reasons USC (6-0) hasn’t yet experienced a significant drop-off. Coming off the bench, he has averaged 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals per game — best in the Pac-12. He has also averaged 24 minutes, enough to give McLaughlin rest or allow USC to run the two-point guard system it ran effectively a season ago.
“It’s similar but it’s not the same,” Enfield said. “Julian had three years of experience and two years playing with Jordan. So they were able to play off of each other last year at a high level most of the season. This year, De’Anthony is learning.”
Melton said the chemistry between the two guards was improving, but “we have to find that happy medium of who’s passing first, who’s ready to score.”
But Melton brings other flourishes.
Enfield said that Melton has learned USC’s system quickly and said he’s an unusually smart player. He can defend all three guard positions and is equally strong off the ball or on. “And he’s a terrific rebounder for a guard, one of the best I’ve seen,” Enfield said.
Melton won two straight state titles at Encino Crespi. In the title game last season, he had 24 points, 18 rebounds, four assists and two blocks. He was the leading scorer in school history.
“I can’t remember a time that our staff ever saw De’Anthony play a high school or AAU game where he didn’t play well and fill up the stat sheet,” Enfield said. “We did not recruit him as a scorer, we recruited him as an all-around basketball player.”
Vote of conf idence
USC’s 6-0 start is the program’s best since the 2000-01 season, when it was 8-0.
The Trojans received one point in the Coaches Poll, meaning one coach had USC at No. 25. The voter was not Enfield. He is not among coaches who vote each week, but if he were, USC would’ve had one more point. “I would vote for USC,” he said. “But I’m biased.”