USC Basketball: Journeyman point guard Gerrity “shocked” by sanctions

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For USC point guard Mike Gerrity, who had twice transferred from other schools (Pepperdine and Charlotte) to play his final semester of college basketball at USC, Sunday’s announcement of sanctions that included a postseason ban was difficult.

It would mean that Gerrity, who has been the linchpin in the team’s surprising turnaround (eight straight wins), wouldn’t make the NCAA tournament, a goal he had hoped to accomplish this season.

‘I did not see this coming, so, you know, I was frustrated when I heard the news,’ Gerrity told The Times. My feelings were just disappointed because you work all off-season, you work all year for the opportunity for postseason play. To not have that opportunity any more is difficult.’

Gerrity said he knew that since the program was under NCAA investigation, the sanctions might come at some point, but he was still ‘shocked’ at the postseason ban.

‘It really came at a time when things are going really well,’ he said. ‘Especially with the way we’ve been playing as a team, it was that much more difficult to hear right now.’

But he said the team will keep competing.

‘We’re still going to be competing as if we could win a national title because we could win a Pac-10 championship,’ he said.

-- Baxter Holmes