Reese Dixon-Waters was out of his depth. In any regular yr, he would’ve been ending his senior season at St. Bernard’s, main the way in which as one of many state’s most dynamic scorers.
However the pandemic sank these plans. So Dixon-Waters hit quick ahead on his improvement, graduating early, skipping his closing highschool season and making the leap final December to USC, the place, in these first few weeks of his Trojan tenure, he might barely maintain his head above water.
“Once I first bought right here, it was undoubtedly complicated,” Dixon-Waters stated this week. “It was arduous studying all of the performs and gaining the belief of my coaches.”
It didn’t assist he’d been thrust right into a season already in progress and a backcourt loaded with expertise. Dixon-Waters scored 5 factors in his first look, then didn’t rating the remainder of the season. His sluggish begin, contemplating the circumstances, was no shock to USC’s workers which preached endurance.
“To come back as a highschool participant on an Elite Eight staff with numerous veterans, it’s an thrilling alternative, however he simply wasn’t able to contribute,” USC coach Andy Enfield stated. “Understandably so.”
A yr later, Dixon-Waters is leaving little doubt about whether or not he’s prepared for a job at USC. Because the Trojans work to recapture their rhythm within the wake of final month’s prolonged COVID-19 layoff, the freshman has performed an important position as a reserve in latest video games, incomes minutes in a rotation that’s much more skilled than it was final season.
On Monday, in opposition to Arizona State, it was Dixon-Waters who jump-started USC’s offense after a sputtering begin. With the Trojans trailing by 10 and capturing lower than 20% from the ground, Dixon-Waters hit one three, then one other to lastly get USC’s offense going. It took simply over two minutes for the Trojans to overhaul Arizona State from there.
Enfield factors to that further yr of expertise as important in Dixon-Waters’ improvement this season. Nevertheless it was a troublesome anticipate the freshman, who admits he struggled to manage in a restricted position. Offense had all the time come naturally to him, nevertheless it took time to know how a lot effort Enfield anticipated on the defensive finish.
“Reese has carried out a pleasant job of elevating his sport on the defensive finish, realizing how arduous he has to play and in addition offensively, he’s made large enhancements together with his choice making, his capturing,” Enfield stated.
“Protection,” Dixon-Waters added, “is enjoyable for me now.”
For Kobe Johnson, one other of USC’s rising freshmen, protection has by no means been a query. The Milwaukee native arrived in L.A. understanding it might be his path to early enjoying time.
That half was no drawback. The priority was his 170-pound body getting pushed round.
So Johnson placed on 20 kilos and centered on his physicality. Over the previous 5 video games, it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“Every part is beginning to fall into place,” Johnson stated.
As Dixon-Waters sparked the offense Monday, Johnson took care of the little issues, doling out 5 assists and reeling in 5 rebounds, whereas including a block, a steal and a cost.
“He does just a little little bit of every thing,” Enfield stated. “Reese and Kobe are excellent enhances to our upperclassmen as a result of they transfer the basketball. They’ve excellent passers. They see the ground. They’re keen passers. They don’t have to dribble the ball one, two, three, 4, 5, six occasions earlier than they make a play.”
And if their present trajectory continues, there must be loads of performs nonetheless left to be made for the 2 Trojans freshmen this season.
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