Not only was Fontan a great scorer but he held control over this team, after playing two seasons and spending three total years at the helm in Southern California. Fontan had his best scoring year in 2010 as the starting point guard for the last squad to make the NCAA Tournament. The next class of point guards is led by Chass Bryan with a strong recruiting class on the way, looking to make their mark.

Feb 10, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Chass Bryan (13) dribbles the ball against the Washington Huskies at the Galen Center. USC defeated Washington 71-60. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Leading Candidate: Chass Bryan 5’9″ 165 Freshmen 1.8 PPG 0.8 RPG 1.3 APG

Chass Bryan played 31 games for the Trojans coming off the bench in the point guard position. Bryan is an electric player that moves with the basketball in a rather dysfunctional fashion, keeping fans on the edge of their seats every time he touches the ball. The walk-on is a half-scholarship winner for his academic prowess that will develop his basketball game as he continues to learn the college game.

Although Bryan was known more as the backup, he and Jio Fontan played together on the same line during the middle of the season. This combination gave the Trojans a nice mix of shooting and penetration as Bryan took over the reigns on offense. This can best be attributed to his 10-point game in 24 minutes against Stanford. Bryan ended the season with four games of at least four assists, as the scrappy backup for the Trojans.

The biggest weakness in Bryan’s game is decision-making when pressure arrives, a facet that pays the most dividends late in the game. Bryan did have trouble staying on the court this season because of his reaching defense but he did show a great first step on the offensive end. For USC to build confidence in their freshmen floor general, Bryan must look to improve his vision but continue to play with that strong motor.

Help On the Way: Julian Jacobs Class of 2013 6’3″ 175 16.2 PPG 6.9 RPG 5.5 APG (Desert Pines High School)

Julian Jacobs is a three-star recruit that has officially declared in the Class of 2013 for the USC Trojans. Jacobs will be the top recruit for the Trojans, as a three-star talent from Las Vegas choosing USC over St. Mary’s, Santa Clara and Utah.

Jacobs is a freak athlete with long arms and an explosive first step who is very raw in terms of point guard fundamentals. The Las Vegas guard plays true to his hometown; full of potential but very sporadic with the basketball. This explosiveness could also be his biggest strength, as Jacobs possess excellent vision combined with a strong first step.

The Trojans will definitely love Jacobs frame on the defensive end of the floor, as the 6’3″ guard possesses quick hands, strong lateral defense and a strong sense of how to handle rotation defense. Based on ESPN Scouting, Jacobs seems rough around the edges in terms of leadership but has great potential to develop thanks to his gaudy athleticism.

Game Changer: Kendall Yancy-Harris Class of 2013 6’4″ 195

Yancy-Harris is the 23rd ranked point guard in the class of 2013, who initially committed to USC last summer as the Trojans’ best recruit. The issue for the Trojan faithful is that Yancy-Harris continues to explore his options as he was granted the ability to shop around for other institutions during late February.

Yancy-Harris, a combo guard who can score the basket as an explosive athlete, can attack the basket with his size and quickness. This man has a strong family pedigree as his brother Terell, played for Oklahoma State and is now in the D-League with Miami. That being said, the young guard has the capabilities to put a team on his back late, carrying the offense with his scoring and driving ability.

If the Trojans were to acquire Yancy-Harris services’ the Trojans would have the perfect compliment guard alongside the likes of JT Terrell and Chass Bryan to drive and kick, or finish at the whole himself. Trojan fans should definitely keep an eye on Yancy-Harris, as he continues to explore his options with USC being near the top of the list.

Feb 17, 2013; Berkeley, CA, USA; USC Trojans J.T. Terrell (20) on defense during the first half of the game against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports

Ace in the Hole: JT Terrell 6’3″ 185 Junior 11.7 PPG 2.1 RPG 0.8 APG

JT Terrell became the shot-taker and playmaker for the USC Trojans during certain stretches of the game. Terrell will be the starting shooting guard moving forward and is one of the teams best scoring options. He supplies that innate ability to make you miss on defense with a deep shooting range; one that rivals Jimmer Fredette.

Terrell has never been known for his passing ability, but he does possess skills with the basketball. He can weave the ball with dribbles between the leg, behind the back and even a fancy step back jump shot. These type of moves can save possessions, something that Terrell has performed numerous times this season. Obviously this offense would not work long-term, but having the ace in the whole in JT Terrell to finish games could play suit for the more up-tempo offense that thrived in the second half of this season.

The Trojans have much to build on this offseason, and the direction that this program continues to take–with or without Bob Cantu at the helm–will surely play a large factor in how these players develop.

The Trojans had two opportunities to earn a .500 record this season, including a most recent loss to Cal Berkeley on February 17th, which sent USC towards a negative spiral. In a month full of ups and downs the Trojans could not capitalize on a prime opportunity to build a winning record, which would have given them ammunition to continue some form of play this week.

Here is a look at how the final month of the season unfolded for the Trojans, who finished 1-3. They now look towards the summer to begin preparation for another campaign at the Galen Center.

March 2, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Jio Fontan (1) watches game action with ice on his wrist against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

First Game: Arizona State 57-56 Victory

The Trojans came out firing from the opening tip, seizing their momentum from an impressive victory over No. 11 Arizona State. USC then started five seniors in the contest against ASU and jumped out to an early 19-point lead over the Sun Devils. From that point forward the offense went cold, as the Trojans could only muster 29 points in the final 25 minutes of action. Eric Wise, JT Terrell and Byron Wesley scored in double figures to ensure the one-point victory.

The game itself was full of peaks and valleys as the Trojans found a way to loose numerous double-digit leads, making for desperate times at the Galen center. Fans even booed the team when the Sun Devils cut the lead to three with 53 seconds to play. Wise made some clutch free throws to secure the lead, but the Trojans almos threw the game away as Chass Bryan made a critical turnover in the final seconds. Luckily for the Trojans, redshirt freshmen Jahii Carson could not convert a half-court shot securing the home sweep of the Arizona schools.

Senior Day Festivities:

Bob Cantu pulled his classiest move as interim head coach starting five seniors in this matchup. Tyler Sugiyama and James Blasczyk were the most inspirational stories of the day, as they were the biggest underdogs to achieve on this team. Aaron Fuller also started, showcasing his ability on the offensive glass as an integral role player on this club.

Jio Fontan struggled in his final home game, injuring his wrist in the second half and battling foul trouble throughout the contest. Fontan actually fouled out with under five minutes to play, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd for his three years of hard work and gutty determination for the Trojans.

The athletic department arraigned a great pre-game activity as the seniors walked out with their parents, families and friends out to center court to take photos with Pat Haden and Bob Cantu. The fans in attendance enjoyed one final opportunity to wish goodbye their six seniors who have finished their careers with the USC Trojans.

Washington/Washington State Games:

The USC Trojans were one game under .500, with a pivotal trip to Washington in sight for a chance to clinch a top-four seed in the tournament. USC came out flat in the first half against Washington, shooting under 35-percent in the first half. Defensively the Trojans played strong basketball but could not make the key stops down the stretch.

On the verge of pulling the upset, the Trojans held their final lead of the game with 12 minutes to play before going scoreless for the next five minutes, falling too far behind to mount the classic USC comeback. This tragic collapse spurned the team forward for their final matchup against Washington State, the team with the worst record in the conference heading into the final game.

The Washington State stage was fully set, but the Trojans were anything but prepared for the matchup in Pullman. USC fell considerably behind early and watched Brock Motum and Royce Woolridge dominate the Trojans with their impressive shooting. Motum finished the night with 31 points, singlehandedly outscoring the entire USC front court and making a victory nearly impossible.

Bar Fighting Incident:

News broke over the trip that two USC players, Dewayne Dedmon and James Blasczyk, were involved in a bar fight in Spokane Washington after being out past curfew following their loss to the Cougars. The LA Times reported that two players were linked to crimes at the bar according to the investigation of the Spokane police, cementing USC’s fears that these players were in fact involved in the incident.

March 13, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans interim head coach Bob Cantu instructs against the Utah Utes during the first half in the first round of the Pac 12 tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The incident shed a negative light on the program, and gave Bob Cantu no choice but to suspend both players for the remainder of the season. We also learn that the Spokane bar was notorious for fights as other players have been provoked towards fighting alongside the two seven-footers. Either way, the scene leaves a sour note for the program that is ready to recover its already tainted image surrounding the recruiting scandal four years ago.

Pac-12 Tournament:USC vs. Utah in the first game of the Pac-12 Tournament. The Trojans dominated the Utes by double digits in their final game under Kevin O’Neill, but nothing came easy in this matchup. Both teams started off slow from the field, looking to find their groove, something that has plagued USC teams in the past.

Once the second half rolled around, Utah built two double-digit leads as the Trojans once again played carefree basketball and started shooting their way back into the ball game. A crucial 12-0 run cut the lead to one in the final minutes before senior Jarred DuBois put the Utes over the top, ending the Trojans’ NCAA Tournament chances.

Selection Sunday:

The Trojans were ineligible for the NCAA, NIT and CTI based upon their record and poor performance in the critical month of March, that previouslyhad the ability to work wonders for USC Basketball. Finally, the Trojans were not selected for the CBI Tournament, oficially ending their stake in the 2012-2013 season.

This year was full of controversy, and fading expectations for a team that actually made huge strides from their six-win campaign last season. The Trojans finish the season 14-18 with changes coming in the not too distant future as two starters leave, a head coaching search continues, and a change in philosophy could be coming for the entire basketball program.

March 13, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans interim head coach Bob Cantu instructs against the Utah Utes during the first half in the first round of the Pac 12 tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Trojans came out of the gate with speed, humor and a distinct relaxed persona that carried them through the midst of a rugged Pac-12 regular season. The Fightining Cantus infamous nickname held true to their character, a band of brothers that fought to the very end and always seemed to be waiting for their big break to arive.

Despite the change of coaching midway through the season, the Trojans played quality baskteball down the stretch, taking down goliaths in UCLA and Arizona. The Trojans finished the campaign under Bob Cantu with a losing record of 7-8, a record that epitomized the Trojans season full of mixed showings.

“I’m very fortunate to be at USC for 12 years,” Cantu said. “We have had great coaches, teams and players. I am thankful to our guys who worked hard at practice and games.”

This could be seen by the Trojans improvement in the win departement, more than doubling their win total from six to 14 this season.

The emotional highs and lows under Bob Cantu were nerve racking, yet revealed the true direction of this program. When Cantu held the reigns the players worked hard every day, played with confidence, and were not afraid to make the big mistakes. This type of mentality comes from his 15-plus years of coaching working his way up from the early days volunteering at Henry Bibby camps.

“Always gonna be forever grateful for what Cantu did this season,” Wesley said. “He is a good person, someone you always want to be around.”

His players respected his hard work, an in turn started to play a more watchable style of basketball. The Trojans became a three-point shooting machine, finishing the season making 34-percent of their shots from downtown.

The Trojans will now look to the offseason with three returning starters and a strong class of recruits to build upon for next season. Interim Head Coach Bob Cantu loved his players dearly, especially senior Jio Fontan, a man that will be severely missed at this program.

These type of relationships are what made Bob Cantu the perfect substitute teacher, to patch up the broken situation and show the conference his teams greatest strengths and weaknesses. Cantu recruited most of these players and played a large role in developing the transfers once they arrived in southern california.

“I am so thankful to be interim coach, working with these kids was incredible,” Cantu said.

During the post game press conference, Cantu seemed composed yet sincere about the appreciation he exhibits for this program, giving him the opportunity to finish out the season as the head coach for his beloved university. The Fighting Cantu’s may be extinguished in terms of NCAA chances, but the CIT Tournament could be a possibility.

When Cantu was asked about his future in terms of coaching he answered in the typical calm, composed and concise form we have come to appreciate. “I am grateful for this experience, but right now I am unsure of my future as the head coach of USC. ”

What is sure though, is that Cantu’s leadership breathed new life into this program and that with the right kind of coaching, USC hoops can be competitive once again.