USC men prepare for busy start, open season with Norfolk State

The season stands to be one of constant tests, so why not start it with a midterm-level exam?

“We’re going to find out who can manage it and who can’t,” South Carolina coach Frank Martin said on Wednesday. “I would love to petition the NCAA to allow us to move our games when I’m unhappy.”

Martin is more excited about this year’s Gamecocks than he’s been during his four-year tenure. USC finally has the height, depth and talent to compete in the SEC and potentially end the program’s drought of postseason appearances.

But he knows it’s going to be a constant process of mixing lineups, figuring out which of his freshmen need to be playing the most and of simply handling the rigors of a 31-game regular season. The last is his first chore – USC begins the season Saturday, plays again Monday and will return from the Virgin Islands on Nov. 23 having played five games in 10 days.

Martin’s five freshmen came from high school teams where they mostly played twice a week, in a perhaps at-most 25-game season. Playing five games in 10 days might not be that grueling, since the game’s AAU culture of year-round basketball has players always on the court.

There aren’t any gimmes on this level. Martin knows the only way to get his youngsters to understand that is to let them go through it.

“The challenge is to get them to understand why every possession of every game is so important on a quick turn,” Martin said. “Getting them to understand how to separate.”

A freshman may have a 10-and-eight performance against Norfolk State on Saturday, then think he’s solved college. Nope.

“Just got to take care of your body, that’s the biggest thing,” said junior Sindarius Thornwell, who played nearly 50 games as a senior at Oak Hill (Va.) Academy, but was on the 20-game season at Lancaster High. “On the off days, take advantage of treatment and rehab and cold tub. That’s what the freshmen are learning – you can’t just go out and do crazy stuff. When it’s time to rest, you got to rest and take advantage of it.”

The Gamecocks should be rested and Martin hopes most of the nervousness from the exhibition against Allen is settled. It will never completely go away, since even Martin still gets nervous before a game.

“The thing experience allows you to do is when you do your job before the game,” Martin said. “When you do your job before the game starts, that preparation allows you to overcome your nerves.”

There were plenty of jittery moments against the Yellow Jackets, but also plenty of good moments. Each should continue, although the latter should increase while the former decreases.

With two games less than 48 hours apart, then three games in four days in the islands, the Gamecocks might not have time to be nervous.