USC basketball news and notes from Friday: Recruits pay a visit

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USC will be hosting several men’s basketball recruits Saturday at the Oregon-USC football game. Here’s the list: 6-foot-5 senior forward Bryon Wesley from Etiwanda; 6-foot-1 senior point guard Alexis Moore from Long Beach Poly; 6-foot-8 junior forward Zena Edosomwan from North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake; 6-2 junior shooting guard Gabe York from Orange Lutheran; 6-foot-5 senior guard Payton Banks from Orange Lutheran; 6-foot-8 junior power forward Grant Jarrett from La Verne Lutheran; 6-foot-6 junior forward Xavier Johnson from Santa Ana Mater Dei; and 5-foot-10 sophomore point guard Jahmel Taylor from Sierra Canyon. Of those, Wesley and Moore have committed to USC, and are expected to sign on Nov. 10, the first day of the fall signing period.

Freshman forward Garrett Jackson underwent surgery Friday to have his nose reset after he suffered a minor fracture when hit with an errant elbow during practice this week. He was sporting some heavy bandages underneath his nose and was still pretty drowsy from the medication, but he said he felt fine. Jackson said he should be back at practice by Tuesday.

Senior guards Donte Smith and Marcus Simmons and senior forward Alex Stepheson were named team captains this week.

The Big 12 announced Friday that the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series will discontinue after this season. USC is scheduled to play two games in that series this year: At Nebraska on Nov. 27, and at home against Texas on Dec. 5.

USC associate head coach Bob Cantu was named the No. 2 assistant coach in the Pacific 10 Conference according to a poll of 75% of league coaches. The top assistant, according to the poll, was Arizona State’s Dedrique Taylor.

USC will hold a closed scrimmage at 11 a.m. Saturday against Air Force. Only coaches and players are allowed.

-- Baxter Holmes