Johnson interviews with USC

Mike Johnson, a UC Irvine assistant men’s basketball coach, said he

interviewed with Coach Henry Bibby and USC for the Trojans’ vacant

assistant coaching position last week.

Johnson also said former NBA player Reggie Theus interviewed for

the job last week. Johnson, who was named as assistant men’s

basketball coach at UCI in June 2002, served as associate head coach

at Cal State Northridge from 1992 through 2001.

He expects to learn USC’s decision by the end of the week.

* In other UCI basketball news, the Anteaters have two

scholarships available for the upcoming season. It is rumored that

they are recruiting Sean Phaler, a former Villa Park High standout

who is also actively being recruited by USC, among other schools.

Phaler, a 6-foot-9 forward, had planned to go to UCLA, but new

coach Ben Howland reportedly encouraged him to enroll at a different

college.

-- by Steve Virgen